In my recent conversations with some Maltese friends, I am often asked about China’s response to COVID-19. They seemed to find it hard to understand why China continues to implement strict containment measures while COVID restrictions are being lifted across the rest of the world. They also wonder whether China’s COVID policy is sustainable. So, I thought I would use this opportunity to walk people through the decisions and choices China has made amid the pandemic.
China has adopted a dynamic zero-COVID policy. This is based on our national reality. China is a densely populated developing country with 1.4 billion people. Development and distribution of medical resources have been uneven between different parts of China. If our government were to relax the containment measures, the only result would be a dramatic surge of COVID infections and overwhelming strain on medical services.
That would lead to soaring numbers of severe cases and deaths. Patients with underlying conditions and the elderly will bear the brunt of that consequence. China’s economic development and social stability will also suffer tremendously. According to the latest model developed by Chinese and American scientists, if China drops its dynamic zero-COVID policy now, the death toll could quickly exceed 1.5 million, a disastrous outcome that any country would try to avoid at all costs.
China’s dynamic zero-COVID policy is rooted in its long-held value of putting people and lives before anything else. According to one of the most ancient Chinese classics, “the greatest virtue of heaven and earth is the giving and maintaining of lives”. The rights to life and health are regarded as the most basic and primary human rights. The goal of the government in adopting the policy is to do the best it can to protect the lives and health of our people, minimise the risk of death and save as many lives as possible.
Nevertheless, we are fully aware that all COVID policies come with a cost. China’s policy has inevitably made life less easy for some and the economy fluctuates in the short run. But when we weigh the pros and cons, it is apparently worthwhile to pay a temporary, controllable price in order to save precious lives and minimise the impact on China’s overall development. These measures have the support of the vast majority of the Chinese people.
China’s dynamic zero-COVID policy also contributes to the global fight against the pandemic. The virus is constantly mutating and it remains quite uncertain how the pandemic may evolve next. In a globalised world, China’s policy is not only about protecting its own people but also about not exporting cases to other parts of the world.
Policies do not stay the same forever. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to COVID response- Yu Dunhai
China’s method of coping with the virus is essentially a race against time. It is aimed at minimising the long-term economic impact of the pandemic and stabilising expectations for China’s industrial and economic growth. This will, for the long run, enable the world to benefit from China’s economy, keep industrial and supply chains stable and rev up post-COVID recovery for the global economy.
I would like to clear up a misperception that many in the international community have about China’s dynamic zero-COVID policy. China’s policy is not about stamping out infection in absolute terms. It is about getting an outbreak under control at minimum social cost and as swiftly as we possibly can, in order to keep more people healthy and safe, and minimise the disruption to life and work.
Guided by this policy, the health authorities lose no time in carrying out testing, contact tracing, transferring, quarantine and hospitalisation. Resources are brought together to help the most-affected areas. The policy also requires targeted response and differentiated approaches every step of the way so that, with minimum cost, the vast majority of the regions and people in China can still live and work normally.
Thanks to the dynamic zero-COVID policy, China has withstood the severe tests of different variants. When Omicron hit Tianjin in January, more than 10 million samples were tested within just four and a half hours. Only individual shops and residential buildings were put under lockdown. In March, after putting the city on pause for seven days, Shenzhen successfully cleared COVID infections at the community level. The situation in Shanghai is also getting better, with community transmission effectively curbed.
Since COVID hit, China’s economy has stayed in positive territory, with a 5.1-per- cent two-year average GDP growth and a 4.8-per-cent year-on-year growth in the first quarter this year. These figures are evidence that the policy has worked well.
Policies do not stay the same forever. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to COVID response. Countries need to choose their own policies in light of their countries’ realities. The policy formulation process must be science-based and adjusted and updated according to latest developments. This is the way to keep the policies effective and responsive. Malta is a fine example in this regard. It has chosen the COVID response policy that fits Malta, enjoys the strong support of its people, and effectively keeps infection cases and death rates low.
In a sense, the history of human civilisation is a history of battling against pandemics. China will continue to share information and strengthen cooperation with other countries in an open, transparent and highly responsible manner. We not only care about China’s own economic and social development but also hope to contribute to solidarity in the global fight against COVID-19.
Yu Dunhai, Ambassador, People’s Republic of China