46 BEIJING REVIEW FEBRUARY 13, 2020 http://www.bjreview.com
FORUM
The Battle Against the Novel Coronavirus
Requires All Layers of Society
T
he outbreak of pneumonia caused by the
novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) came at
a special time of the year in China, during
the Spring Festival, the most important tradi-
tional holiday for Chinese. In order to curb the
spread of the virus, the Chinese Government
and all of Chinese society have mobilized, with
the government making overall arrangements
for staff and resource distribution, doctors and
nurses fighting the outbreak round the clock,
and the public being cooperative and helpful. In
the time since the outbreak was made public,
many people have expressed their views and
hopes from different perspectives.
People first
Commentary (www.xinhuanet.com):
China is mobilizing a nationwide response
to prevent and control the 2019-nCoV out-
break. Government measures have been
rapid, strong and effective because they en-
joy the wide support of the people.
China has made many unprecedented
moves, including extending the Spring Festival
holiday, postponing the spring semester for
schools and universities, and adopting transport
restrictions in various areas. Wuhan, capital of
Hubei Province in central China and the most
affected area, has suspended all of its public
transportation, including outbound channels at
airports and railway stations.
All these decisions were made and
implemented quickly.
Some measures inconvenience people’s
lives, but authorities have every reason to be
decisive because a national consensus has
been reached: Containing the epidemic is of
paramount importance and any difficulties
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China has many advantages in the cur-
rent battle, including its huge mobilization
capacity, high technology and improved
response mechanism. But most importantly,
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from the steadfast practice of the principle
that protecting the people’s interests is the
highest priority.
When people are put first, they can be
relied on. In a country of 1.4 billion people, all
sectors of society are now in motion.
Doctors and nurses across the country
are rushing to Wuhan. Civilian and military
medical materials have been sent to hard-hit
regions and more resources are on the way.
Despite the Spring Festival holiday, factories
race against time to produce face masks and
protective clothing.
In Wuhan, all construction workers in the
city were mobilized to build two makeshift
hospitals to treat infected patients. Round-
the-clock construction made the miracle
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into use on February 3 as scheduled, with
a capacity of 700 to 1,000 beds. The other
“safety island,” with up to 1,500 beds, was
completed on February 6.
Residents also have a role to play. People
have postponed travel plans, staying at
home to guard against potential infection.
Grassroots communities are fully mobilized
for personnel tracking and body tempera-
ture monitoring, while online platforms are
promoting tips for virus prevention.
All these measures show the sound in-
teraction between the government and the
public.
Relying on the people also means being
open to the people and respecting their right
to know the truth.
Spreading panic can be more dangerous
than the infection itself. Only by being open
can panic be minimized. The timely, accurate
and authoritative publication of information
related to the epidemic is an important way
to prevent spillover.
Authorities have warned that whoever
values his own interests more than the
interests of the people is at odds with the
Communist Party of China (CPC) and the
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Province, central China, is being investigated
for untimely reporting of information related
to epidemic prevention, the latest evidence
that the red line of information transparency
cannot be crossed.
Diseases respect no borders. Due to the
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efforts to stop them, as China is doing now.It is a war of the people and by the peo-
ple. When the whole nation stands together,
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cise policies, victory is assured.
Zhou Jun (www.xatvs.com): In these past
weeks, people from all walks of life across the
country have mobilized to fight against the
outbreak of the 2019-nCoV. Medical staff from
different provinces and the People’s Liberation
Army have come to Wuhan to help at local
hospitals. Medical supplies are fast-tracked to
the city, while food and produce are provided
to locals at very low prices or free of charge. In
a populous country of 1.4 billion people, the
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China’s current social and political systems.
A striking advantage of socialism with
Chinese characteristics is the concentration
of resources on major missions. President
Xi Jinping stressed that people’s safety and
health always come first. CPC members are
taking the lead in efforts against the outbreak.
Different areas instituted various schemes and
measures suited to local situations for when
people returned to their hometowns for the
Spring Festival or for those who have been to
Wuhan recently.
While the frontline battle against the
virus is ongoing, the Chinese market is kept
stable behind the lines so as to reassure the
public and avoid panic. Tough punishment
was imposed on profiteers who tried to
make big money by sharply raising the price
of scarce goods like face masks.
The domestic media is also actively involved
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tion on resources and supplies and up-to-date
developments in an open and transparent man-
ner, so as to minimize public panic.
The safety of life has been put first as a
consensus by all of society. Public activities that
are common during the Spring Festival and
the release of new movies have been widely
canceled, and people chose to stay home in-
stead of paying visits to friends and relatives, a
custom during the Spring Festival. The Central
Government’s ordinances and measures are
well thought out and are effectively being car-
ried out. This is the power of China’s socialist