Global solidarity, not blame game, needed to win battle against COVID-19

When COVID-19 struck, China took care to avoid chaos, pooled all its resources under one unified command, and provided coordinated and rapid response with full strength against the infectious disease. China mobilized the society and engaged the community and opposed irrational containment measures, overreactions and radical statements. The manner China has coped with this public health emergency caused by novel coronavirus set an excellent example for the rest of the world later when the epidemic transformed into a pandemic.

Heads of many International and national organizations and leaders of many political parties from the world over expressed confidence in China the way it contained the epidemic of novel coronavirus. In the globalized world neither a country can afford to retreat into self-isolation nor can a state alone solve the problems facing mankind. China cooperated in global public health governance and participated in epidemic control both at regional as well as global levels. At the outset of the epidemic of novel coronavirus China cooperated with the World Health Organization, explored transnational joint prevention and control, opted for collaboration in scientific research and provided assistance to many countries where this deadly disease began spreading.

At International forums China highlighted cooperation in public health issues and emphasized the need for Health Silk Road. Despite cultural and historical differences and ideological dichotomies people wherever they are belong to one global family and through cooperation and coordination they can successfully tackle the challenge of COVID-19 pandemic. No area, region or a country is safe from the infection of this novel coronavirus, rational evaluation of the situation is cry of the day and it is high time to accomplish win-win cooperation.

The International community requires cooperation and multilateral efforts to contain the pandemic which is spread by this highly infectious disease. The World Health Organization appreciated the speedy, effective and decisive measures taken by China. China on the one hand donated $20 million to the WHO to back global unity and on the other hand provided support to many developing countries to build their capacity against this public health crisis. Real time data sharing among the countries is necessary because every individual and country is threatened by this deadly disease. Public health security is a common concern and mutual respect, learning from one another and peaceful co-existence strengthens solidarity and security. To prepare the world against this virus China as a responsible country shared diagnosis, tests, epidemiological research and treatment with the international community.

This virus has the capability to cause huge societal and economic turmoil. The International community should bolster exchange of experience in epidemic control, oppose discrimination against COVID-19 and enhance epidemic data disclosure mechanisms. SARS and MERS were contained by rigorous control measures than antiviral therapy or vaccine and that valuable experience was successfully utilized in the world against the lethal, invisible and implacable novel coronavirus.

To defeat COVID-19 unity is a must and for unity this pandemic political divergences required to be kept at low ebb. There is need to augment international solidarity against this global enemy number one in this point in time. The world need protection and healing from transnational threat like novel coronavirus and that makes International cooperation a necessity. The great powers may have political, economic, social and ideological divergences but successful prevention and control of public health threat like COVID-19, convergences require more attention. In the face of a serious threat posed by novel coronavirus global community can only succeed by working together.

The author is a director of China Study Center at the University of Peshawar, Pakistan.

The opinions expressed here are those of the writer and do not represent the views of China Daily and China Daily website.