Coronavirus disease (Covid-19) has now
spread over 188 countries across all continents, except Antarctica, and has
been classified as a global pandemic. This novel coronavirus has created the
direst public-health crisis in generations, forcing lockdowns of countries,
disrupting the global economy and restricting travel- all in just a few months
since the disease began to spread outside of China. Pakistan also reported
hundreds of cases of coronavirus - majority of which were imported from Iran.
As countries are struggling to prevent a similar outbreak, analysing China's
response could show the world a path to follow.
China's response is particularly relevant
at a time when Beijing is placing emphasis on the superiority of the
"China model" that prioritises government control over individual
freedoms. Such a model has become more evident in the era of President Xi
Jinping. In contrast to paramount leader Deng Xiaoping's "hide and
bide" doctrine—which essentially means waiting for the right time and not
taking the leading role—Chairman Xi portrays China as a global power that is
willing to lead this world with Chinese solutions, an alternative development
model to western-style democracy. Therefore, the world is watching China's
moves very closely as the situation evolves, including with regard to the
latest episode of Covid-19.
This pandemic reveals the remarkable
dynamics of China's governing system. China has been rebuked for its
intolerance of dissidents, suppression of truth and controlling of information.
Nevertheless, this pandemic has also revealed the strength of the Chinese
system in mobilising resources and capabilities at an unprecedented level, in a
way that is needed to rein in the virus.
Experts opined that to tackle a pandemic,
the best solution is to share information with the public and take swift
measures on the eve of the outbreak. In the Chinese style of governance, the
decision is made via a top-down approach. At the earlier stage of the outbreak,
Wuhan local government reported the presence of a SARS-like virus to the
relevant department, but the higher authorities decided not to make the
information public as an important annual political programme known as
"two sessions" was due soon.
Despite the urgency to save thousands of
lives, the local government was not allowed to disclose such sensitive
information without the authorisation of the central government. Furthermore,
China's giant, opaque bureaucracy slowed the back and forth of communication
between provincial and central governments. Ultimately, the Chinese system
failed to take any substantial measures after a month since the first case was
reported, as early as mid-November.
Wuhan is a city of 11 million people—a
larger population than that of Greece or Portugal, and centrally located in
Hubei province, which is the gateway for China's rail, road, and waterways. The
outbreak happened on the eve of the Chinese New Year—an event that leads to the
world's largest annual human migration when Chinese people travel to visit
their family and friends during this auspicious celebration. The news agencies
reported that almost five million Wuhan residents traveled out of Wuhan before
the lockdown, some even abroad. Consequently, long before even knowing of the
existence of the virus, it is possible that many carriers spread it all over
China and other parts of the world.
A
doctor in Wuhan in his 30s shared the presence of an unknown disease with his
colleagues via a WeChat group. China's digital surveillance system did not take
long to detect the doctor's message and brought it to the notice of the
authorities. Soon after, police arrested Dr Li Wenliang for an allegation of
spreading rumours and forced him to sign a letter denouncing himself for doing
so. He was released soon after, but Covid-19 had become a reality by then. The
doctor himself was infected and did not survive the virus. His death, and the
unfair treatment he received for a warning that could have potentially saved
thousands of lives, led to a wave of protests in Chinese social media. Despite
the tight digital surveillance, the public outcry over Dr Li's death went viral
as millions of Chinese netizens from all walks of life posted this
quote—"A healthy society should not have only one voice."
This crisis posed an unprecedented
challenge to the Chinese authorities and forced the ruling Communist Party to
take draconian measures. The gravity of the pandemic was later recognised by
the high command of the party leadership, who sought to make all-out efforts to
contain the spread, designating their efforts as a "people's war".
Soon after, hundreds of millions of people were put under lockdown for weeks,
hospitals were built within a few weeks, the military was deployed, party
cadres were mobilised at the grassroot levels, several local officials were
sacked for their negligence and medical supplies were sourced on an emergency
basis.
The pandemic has now hit Europe, North
America, Asia and beyond, but this public health crisis has also revealed the
shortfall of western governance in replicating the China style measures,
however drastic and draconian, that have been identified by the WHO as a model
to tackle this pandemic. China, due to the centrally controlled one-party
state, was able to implement such measures effectively. As a result, new cases
are declining drastically in contrast to many parts of the world. However, one
question remains—would the world even be facing this crisis if China had
allowed the free flow of information and took action at the beginning?
Courtesy
Courtesy
