Unity and cooperation are the international community's most potent weapon to overcome the pandemic

IV. Public health security is a common challenge faced by humanity, and major infectious diseases are the enemy of all of us. Countries need to work together to comprehensively strengthen international cooperation and to bring together a powerful joint force to overcome the pandemic.

The World Health Organization plays an important role in coordinating global health affairs. China attaches great importance to cooperating with the World Health Organization, and welcomes its participation in the prevention and control of the epidemic. Experts from the World Health Organization have already conducted a field visit to Wuhan. China is willing to work with the World Health Organization and the international community to jointly safeguard regional and global public health security. I trust that the World Health Organization and the international community can make an objective, fair, sober, and rational assessment of the epidemic situation.

—Remarks at a meeting with WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, January 28, 2020

Public health security is a common challenge facing humanity and requires countries to work together. At present, outbreaks of COVID-19 have occurred in many countries. It is necessary to strengthen communication and exchanges with the WHO and to cooperate with relevant countries, especially countries badly affected, in the areas of tracing the outbreak’s origins and in medicines, vaccines, and testing. With ensuring national security as a precondition, we should share scientific research data and information, jointly study and put forward mitigation strategies, and contribute ingenuity and energy to the building of a global community with a shared future.

—Speech“Providing Strong Scientific and Technological Support for Winning the Battle of Epidemic Prevention and Control,”March 2, 2020

The last few weeks have seen outbreaks of the epidemic in many countries, and the situation calls for great concern. The international community should intensify its actions, carry out effective international cooperation in joint prevention and control, and bring together a powerful joint force to overcome the epidemic. China is willing to share its experience of prevention and control with relevant countries, conduct joint research and development of drugs and vaccines, and is providing what assistance it can to some countries where the virus is spreading. China supports the United Nations and WHO in mobilizing the international community to strengthen policy coordination, increase investment of resources, and especially help developing countries with weak public health systems to prepare for prevention and response. China has announced a donation of US$20 million to the WHO in order to support international action launched by the WHO to combat the epidemic.

—Phone call with UN Secretary-General António Guterres, March 12, 2020

We must strengthen international cooperation on epidemic prevention and control and work closely with the World Health Organization. We need to step up analysis and forecasting of developments in the global pandemic situation, and improve prevention and control strategies and policy measures to deal with risks coming in from beyond our borders. We need to increase exchanges and cooperation with relevant countries in epidemic prevention and control, and continue to provide whatever assistance we can. It is necessary to strengthen guidance and support for epidemic prevention and control with regard to Chinese citizens abroad, do well in all aspects of work, and safeguard their health and safety.

—Remarks at a meeting of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, March 18, 2020

China and France both shoulder the heavy responsibility of safeguarding the security of international and regional public health. Our two countries should earnestly cooperate in order to advance joint research projects, strengthen cooperation on health and quarantine issues at national borders, support the WHO in its work, jointly help African countries with epidemic prevention and control, and strive to build a global community for public health.

China is willing to work with France to encourage relevant parties to strengthen coordination and cooperation under frameworks like the United Nations and the G20, to carry out joint prevention and control, to improve global health governance, to help developing countries and other countries in need to strengthen capacity building, and to counter the impact of the pandemic on the world economy, thus allowing the bright rays of cooperation to disperse the shadows of the pandemic.

—Phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron, March 23, 2020

Viruses know no borders or races, and we humankind can conquer them only if we work together. All countries should advance cooperation within the framework of the United Nations and the G20, strengthen information exchange and experience sharing, and enhance collaboration on scientific research. We should support the WHO so that it can play its proper role, and promote the improvement of global health governance. Countries should strengthen macroeconomic policy coordination, stabilize markets, maintain growth, safeguard people’s livelihoods, and ensure that global supply chains are open, stable, and secure. I have every confidence that after defeating the pandemic, the mutual understanding between China and the UK will be deepened, consensus between our two countries will be broader, and our cooperation will usher in greater prospects for the future.

—Phone call with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, March 23, 2020

China and Brazil are comprehensive strategic partners. The two sides should maintain our strategic resolve, support each other’s core interests and major concerns, speak to the international community in a voice of solidarity, and convey a positive message about working hand-in-hand in our response to the epidemic. At the same time, we should advance pragmatic cooperation in various fields, strengthen communication and collaboration within the multilateral framework of the G20 and BRICS countries, and jointly maintain and develop the China-Brazil comprehensive strategic partnership. I am confident that China and Brazil will be able to work together to overcome the epidemic and push our all-round cooperation to a higher level.

—Phone call with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, March 24, 2020

Major infectious diseases are the enemy of all humanity. As we speak, the COVID-19 outbreak is spreading worldwide, posing an enormous threat to the health and safety of the people and bringing a formidable challenge to global public health security. The situation is worrying. At such a moment, it is all the more important for the international community to strengthen confidence, act with unity, and work together in a collective response. We must step up international cooperation on all fronts and foster greater synergy so that humanity as one could win the battle against this major infectious disease.

For that to happen, I would like to put forth four proposals.

First, we need to be resolute in fighting a global war against the COVID-19 pandemic. The community of nations must move swiftly to curtail the spread of the virus. In this regard, I propose that a G20 health ministers’ meeting be convened as quickly as possible to strengthen information sharing, carry out cooperation on medicine and vaccine research and development and epidemic control, and cut off cross-border infections. G20 members need to jointly help developing countries with weak public health systems to enhance preparedness and response capacity. I propose a G20 COVID-19 assistance initiative for better information sharing and coordination of policies and actions with the support of the World Health Organization. Guided by the vision of a global community with a shared future, China is more than ready to share its successful practices, conduct joint research and development of medicines and vaccines, and provide any assistance it can to countries hit by the growing outbreak.

Second, we need to effectively mount a collective response to the pandemic at the international level. This is a virus that respects no borders. The outbreak we are battling is our common enemy. All countries must work together to build the most tightly knit global network of prevention and control the world has ever seen. China has set up an online COVID-19 knowledge center which is open to all countries. It is imperative that countries pool their strengths and speed up research and development of drugs, vaccines, and testing capabilities in the hope of achieving early breakthroughs to the benefit of all humanity. Discussions are also needed regarding the establishment of regional emergency liaison mechanisms to enable quicker response to public health emergencies.

Third, we need to actively support international organizations in playing their proper roles. China supports the WHO in leading the global efforts to develop science-based, appropriate prevention and control measures and minimize cross-border spread. I call on G20 members to enhance anti-epidemic information sharing with the support of the WHO and to promote comprehensive, systematic, and effective control and treatment protocols. The G20 platform for communication and coordination may be used to increase policy dialogue and exchange, and a high-level meeting on global public health security should be convened in due course. China will be happy to join other countries and scale up support for relevant international and regional organizations.

Fourth, we need to enhance international macroeconomic policy coordination. The outbreak has disrupted production and demand across the globe. Countries need to leverage and coordinate their macro policies to counteract the negative impact and prevent the world economy from falling into recession. We need to implement strong and effective fiscal and monetary policies to keep our exchange rates basically stable. We need to better coordinate financial regulation to keep global financial markets stable. We need to jointly keep the global industrial and supply chains stable. What China will do in this regard is to increase its supply of active pharmaceutical ingredients, daily necessities, anti-epidemic supplies and other products to the international market. What’s more, we also need to protect women, children, the elderly, people with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups, and provide for people’s basic needs. China will continue to pursue a proactive fiscal policy and a prudent monetary policy. We will remain committed to advancing reform and opening up, widening market access, improving the business environment, and expanding imports and outbound investment to contribute to a stable world economy.

I want to call on all G20 members to take collective actions—cutting tariffs, removing barriers, and facilitating the unfettered flow of trade. Together, we can send a strong message to the international community and bolster confidence for global economic recovery. The G20 needs to draw up an action plan and promptly set up communication mechanisms and institutional arrangements for anti-epidemic macro policy coordination.

—Speech“Working Together to Defeat the COVID-19 Outbreak,”at the Extraordinary G20 Virtual Leaders’Summit, March 26, 2020

Now is a crucial moment, a time for us to rise to the challenge and act with swiftness. I am convinced that through solidarity and mutual assistance, we will prevail over this pandemic, and we will usher in a brighter future for humanity.

—Speech“Working Together to Defeat the COVID-19 Outbreak,”at the Extraordinary G20 Virtual Leaders’Summit, March 26, 2020

At present, Sino-US relations have reached an important juncture. Cooperation between China and the United States is beneficial to both sides, while fighting is harmful to both. Cooperation is the only correct choice. I hope that the United States will take substantive actions to improve Sino-US relations. The two sides should make joint efforts to strengthen cooperation in areas such as combating the epidemic, and develop a relationship without conflict or confrontation that is based on mutual respect and mutually beneficial cooperation.

—Phone call with US President Donald Trump, March 27, 2020