Australian state stands tall amid fear

For weeks now, the novel coronavirus pneumonia outbreak has dominated headlines.

Bigger than severe acute respiratory syndrome, both in mortality rate and economic impact, novel coronavirus pneumonia, now named COVID-19, has been declared a global health emergency. It is an emergency that will have far-reaching and long-term consequences for China and the world.

In the wake of this international outbreak, however, we can find some comfort in the response of the health services of Australia's state of Victoria.

A total of four Victorians diagnosed with COVID-19 have now been discharged from the hospital, with no further confirmed cases to date.

At the same time, our researchers－some of the world's best scientific minds－continue to lead the way in developing a vaccine for the virus.

Like governments around the globe, containing COVID-19 continues to be our top priority.

But for Victoria, there are other serious pressures at play.

The economies of Australia and Victoria, already feeling the burden of bushfires, will no doubt be affected. The impacts will come not only from the added measures required to protect the state, but also the overall economic effect on businesses, industries and livelihoods reliant on Victoria's relationship with China.

That encompasses higher education, tourism and hospitality, as well as a trade relationship worth billions of dollars each year.

With the outbreak likely to continue for weeks or even months, it's still too early to quantify just what the total impact will be.

And yet we're already beginning to understand the very real cost to our community.

Restaurants in Box Hill, a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, are dormant. Chinatown grows more deserted by the day. Local Chinese businesses in every corner of the state are empty.

And yum cha staple Shark Fin House has announced its closure, following a dramatic dip in its patronage.

While there are legitimate concerns about the outbreak, we need to be vigilant to ensure our response is not founded on fear, because like any contagion, fear can easily spread.

This is why, as a state defined by its warm and welcoming multiculturalism, it's up to all Victorians to stand tall in the face of that fear.

The state's government is working with its Chinese communities on what more it can offer, both in terms of economic stimulus and moral support.

That includes hosting a number of economic roundtables, sitting down with local community and business leaders to talk through the state's long-term solutions.

It also includes the lighting up of some of the state's most famous landmarks－Flinders Street Station, the Arts Centre, Melbourne Town Hall－in solidarity with its Chinese communities.

And it includes a commitment to leading a delegation of 100 Victorian businesses to China, as soon as the Commonwealth advises it is safe to do so.

On a smaller scale, but perhaps just as powerfully, Victoria will also host a dinner－one put on by the Victorian government and attended by the state's Chinese communities.

In short, it will be a meal shared between friends.

For more than 150 years, Victoria's Chinese communities have been pivotal to the state's success. Now more than ever, Chinese Victorians deserve our support.

Everyone has a role to play－standing tall in the face of fear, calling out discrimination wherever it occurs, or simply visiting a local Chinese restaurant.

After all, what could be more Victorian than supporting our Chinese communities, one xiao long bao (Chinese steamed soup dumpling) at a time.

The author is premier of the state of Victoria, Australia. The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.