(A closer look at China) "Six suggestions + five measures" Xi Jinping's World Health Assembly speech urges the world to gather together to fight against epidemics
China News Service, Beijing, May 19: "Six Recommendations + Five Major Initiatives" Xi Jinping's World Health Assembly speech urges the world to gather together to fight against epidemics
Author Huang Yuqin Zhang Ziyang
At a critical moment in the global fight against the New Coronary Pneumonia epidemic, the video conference of the 73rd World Health Assembly was held on the evening of Beijing time on the 18th. At the opening ceremony, Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a speech entitled "Unite and cooperate to overcome the epidemic and jointly build a human health and health community."
After G20 leaders responded to the New Crown Pneumonia Special Summit, Xi Jinping once again attended important international multilateral meetings to elaborate China's anti-epidemic propositions, and made six recommendations and announced five major initiatives. Observation believes that every proposal and initiative is centered on the solidarity and cooperation of the international community, emphasizing the role of the multilateral mechanism represented by WHO, and firmly supporting developing countries to carry out epidemic prevention and control, which helps to boost global confidence in anti-epidemic , Gather together in the world to fight against epidemics.
To seek the "maximum convention" of global anti-epidemic with unity and cooperation
Facing the epidemic that is still spreading and spreading globally, "Unity and Cooperation" has once again become a high-frequency word in Xi Jinping's speech. "Humanity is a community of shared destiny, and unity and cooperation are the most powerful weapons to overcome the epidemic." Xi Jinping emphasized in his speech.
Some analysts pointed out that the sudden global public health crisis is a "big test" for all countries in the world. China once again calls for cooperation to deal with the epidemic. The challenge is to seek the "maximum number of conventions" under the severe situation and look forward to the cohesion of the international community to complete the global Anti-epidemic "answer sheet".
"From the beginning of the outbreak, humans have entered the race to compete with the virus for time." Liu Qing, director of the Asia-Pacific Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of International Studies, told China News Service, "Whether it is the G20 special summit or the World Health Assembly, President Xi Jinping The proposed Chinese initiatives all reflect the urgency of global cooperation. From tracing past historical experience to confronting the current dilemma, only global solidarity and cooperation can overcome the epidemic together. "
Observers found that Xi Jinping's speech on that day, in addition to emphasizing the unity and consensus of cooperation, also focused on how to translate the consensus into specific cooperation paths, including proposing international cooperation in testing methods, clinical treatment, vaccine and drug research and development, and establishing global and regional epidemic prevention material reserves. Center and many other initiatives.
"The Chinese proposal fully demonstrates that solidarity is not just a slogan, but a specific path to follow." Guo Yanjun, director of the Asian Institute of China Foreign Affairs University, believes that "each specific measure is China ’s summary of its own experience in fighting against epidemic disease. It also points the way for the international community to strengthen public health cooperation and improve the global health governance system. "
Give play to the leadership role of WHO and defend the multilateral mechanism
As the epidemic prevention and control is carried out on a global scale, the different anti-epidemic measures adopted by various countries and regions also face the problem of how to coordinate. In this regard, Xi Jinping stressed in his speech that "playing the leadership role of WHO" and called for "the international community to increase its political support and financial input to WHO, mobilize global resources, and win the epidemic."
Professor Chang Jian of the Zhou Enlai School of Government Administration of Nankai University pointed out that WHO, as the world ’s largest intergovernmental public health organization, has indispensable advantages in information sharing, coordinated response to outbreaks, and mobilization of global forces. "By coordinating global anti-epidemic efforts, it is possible to prevent countries from hamstringing each other because of mistrust."
The outside world has noticed that in the global fight against the epidemic, multilateral mechanisms, including WHO, have been challenged to varying degrees. Individual countries have shown little regard and disrespect for existing multilateral cooperation mechanisms.
In his speech on the same day, Xi Jinping pointed out that "supporting WHO is to support international cooperation in epidemic prevention and support for saving lives", and proposed a series of measures to cooperate with the United Nations. Observations believe that this statement reflects China's clear position in defending multilateralism and effectively safeguards the authority of WHO.
"Neighborhood-based unilateralism interferes with international anti-epidemic cooperation from time to time, and disrespect and distrust of the United Nations and WHO is one of its concrete manifestations." Guo Yanjun believes that at a critical stage of global anti-epidemic, China firmly supports the multilateral mechanism, It helps to inject confidence into international cooperation and enables multilateral mechanisms to more effectively mobilize global resources to respond to the crisis.
To support developing countries to highlight the idea of a community of destiny
As epidemic epicenters continue to shift, the prevention and control of developing countries with weak medical systems such as Africa has become the focus of international attention. How to help them effectively prevent and control the epidemic has also become a "top priority" in Xi Jinping's eyes.
In his speech that day, he pointed out that "developing countries, especially African countries, have a weak public health system, and helping them build a line of defense is the top priority of the international fight against epidemics."
Data show that China has delivered a large amount of medical aid materials to more than 50 African countries and the African Union, and has specially dispatched 5 medical expert groups. Currently, 46 Chinese medical teams stationed in Africa are investing in local anti-epidemic operations.
Observation believes that China's support for developing countries from its conceptual initiatives to concrete actions is not only a key difficulty in responding to global epidemic prevention and control, but also a vivid implementation of the concept of a community of human destiny.
Liu Qing pointed out that from the impact of the (epidemic) on the economy and society, to the threat to human health, and then the speed of economic recovery in the future, developing countries will undoubtedly face more arduous challenges and tests in the face of the epidemic. The country with the weakest public health system is the focus of current epidemic prevention and control, and urgently needs the support and help of the international community.
Among the five measures taken by China to promote global anti-epidemic cooperation, Xi Jinping proposed that "China will establish a cooperation mechanism for 30 Chinese-African counterpart hospitals, accelerate the construction of the headquarters of the African Centers for Disease Control, and help Africa improve its disease prevention and control capabilities."
Guo Yanjun believes that the concept of a community of human destiny advocated by China has received a positive response from the international community during the epidemic. The epidemic has no borders, and prevention and control must be successful on a global scale. "Otherwise, no country is safe." China's support and assistance to developing countries is an active practice of this concept. (Finish)