Don't Ignore China's Role in Pandemic

By Henry Srebrnik, [Saint John, NB] Telegraph Journal

The COVID-19 pandemic began in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province in China, and was allowed to spread, unreported, for weeks. Now that the worst is over in China, the country is trying to rehabilitate its image.

Yes, there has been an outburst of “hate China” articles in the West, which are reprehensible. But we should also acknowledge that China bears a lot of responsibility for what the world is now experiencing. It has succeeded in controlling the virus domestically because its authoritarian government can force people to follow instructions. 

Despite the initial bureaucratic bungling, China has mobilized effectively to bring the rate of infection down to virtually zero. It has announced it will lift the lockdown on Wuhan on April 8. 

The first case there was confirmed last Dec. 1 and, since little was known about the virus, the authorities kept quiet in an effort not to cause panic. 

Not until Dec. 31 did China first report cases of a “mysterious SARS-like pneumonia” to the World Health Organization (WHO). 

The now-celebrated Dr. Li Wenliang had already raised concerns about the virus and was detained by the authorities and forced to sign a confession of making “false comments” and disturbing “the social order.” The virus would eventually take his life on Feb. 6. 

China allowed a large political gathering to take place in Wuhan from Jan. 11 to 17, even as concerns grew. It refused to let in major foreign epidemiological teams, including from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. 

The WHO bought into China’s narrative. In a statement on Jan. 14, the body asserted that “the Chinese authorities have found no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission.” Such lies helped the virus spread more quickly than it otherwise would have.

In fact, Taiwan has accused the WHO of failing to heed the country’s early warning in December because it is too cozy with China. Taiwan, meanwhile, took swift and early actions and has had less than 300 cases and two deaths. 

Only on Jan. 20 did Chinese President Xi Jinping finally give orders to take measures to stop the spread of the virus. And before he finally acknowledged the gravity of the situation, some five million people had left Hubei, allowing the disease to spread. 

Some Chinese propagandists also promoted a bizarre story about the outbreak being caused by the United States Army. 

By early March, a complete shutdown of most daily life nationwide and the upscaling of hospital capacity were credited with having stemmed the tide.

But critics say such extreme measures were only required because its initial response was slow. 

Having botched its reaction at the start of the outbreak, China is now mounting a campaign to present itself as a model of effective government. Beijing is working to turn these signs of success into a larger narrative – one that makes China the essential player in a coming global recovery. 

“China’s signature strength, efficiency and speed in this fight has been widely acclaimed,” declared Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian March 5. China, he added, set “a new standard for the global efforts against the epidemic.” 

Xi’s government fears that the world may reassess modern China, and that its global image may crumble if nations around the globe start paying attention to China’s lax public health care, incompetent and intrusive government, and generally less-developed domestic conditions. 

Beijing wants to shift blame away from China for the outbreak and the botched initial response. At stake is China’s global reputation, as well as the potential of a fundamental shift away from China for trade and manufacturing. 

Foreign corporations already are reconsidering their operations in China. They no longer can be assured that it will be a stable supplier. 

And those who assumed that global markets were the optimal economic model, which would always work, now may reconsider whether globalization is the best system for dealing with pandemics like coronavirus, and so will question the world’s relationship to China. 

Responsibility is exactly what the Chinese Communist Party government has been avoiding since the initial outbreak in Wuhan. Transparency and openness are threats to its continued rule. 

The regime at first engaged in a massive cover-up – exposing the world to global pandemic and economic meltdown. Now it’s trying to portray itself as its saviour. 

Can you spell chutzpah? It’s not a Chinese word. One thing is certain, though: this is a turning point for China and the world.