It is Just the Right Time for International Cooperation On the Occasion of Epidemic Treatment and Control

Zhang Guihong

Director of the Research Center for the United Nations and International Organizations,Fudan University

In recent days, the COVID-19 epidemic outbreak has been worsening across the world. With one confirmed COVID-19 case in Egypt, the epidemic outbreaks have occurred in 29 countries in four continents of Asia, Europe, North America and Africa. What's more, the transmission of epidemic to countries with weak health systems and capabilities the World Health Organization is most worried is becoming a reality, and the window of opportunity to prevent the global spread of the pandemic is disappearing.

The author believes that because of various countries'different understanding of the epidemic situation, showing different response measures and capabilities, and in different situations and environments, the prospect of global epidemic prevention and control will not be optimistic if they react on their own. Facing the severe situation that the epidemic outbreak may spread across the world, the only choice for the international community is unity and cooperation. China has experienced an unprecedented public health emergency.After arduous efforts, the situation of epidemic prevention and control in China has shown a positive development.According to the latest planning of the CPC Central Committee, expanding international and regional cooperation is one of the seven key tasks to strengthen epidemic prevention and control.

First of all, supporting the United Nations to shoulder the responsibility of uniting the international community. Since the outbreak of the epidemic, "epidemic discrimination" has occurred repeatedly,and the lack of unity and cooperation spirit has become an important factor in the rampant spread of the epidemic. How to unite the international community and how to prevent the pandemic from spreading across the world is a major test for the United Nations. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations.As the most universal,representative and authoritative intergovernmental international organization, the United Nations has the responsibility and capacity to call on all members of the international community,such as member governments, enterprises and non-governmental organizations, to abandon discrimination and prejudice and jointly respond to the major challenge that is becoming a global crisis. To this end,China actively supports the UN Secretary General in carrying out relevant work and push the UN General Assembly and other agencies to take corresponding actions.

Secondly, supporting the World Health Organization to accelerate and strengthen professional cooperation in epidemic prevention and control. As the epidemic is spreading across the world, especially to countries with weak health systems, it is urgent to speed up and strengthen international cooperation in epidemic prevention and control. As a specialized agency in the field of health, the WHO has authoritative and professional advantages in international cooperation on epidemic prevention and control, and it is taking new actions now. China and WHO have a long-term and sound cooperation, and timely carried out close cooperation in the process of epidemic prevention and control.Facing the new feature and new situation of the epidemic, China can make a unique contribution to the global health cooperation led and guided by the WHO through sharing the latest research results of the virus, practice and methods of preventing the epidemic spreading, and medical effectiveness and clinical experience of treating the COVID-19 patients.

Thirdly, actively promoting regional cooperation in the epidemic prevention and control by taking advantage of the existing international mechanisms such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the ASEAN, etc.. In view of the fact and possibility of the epidemic outbreak in relevant countries, it is suggested that the above-mentioned international cooperation mechanisms and platforms should be employed in a timely manner to carry out international coordination of epidemic prevention and control. On the one hand,launching timely the relevant projects and actions and mobilizing corresponding funds and resources for epidemic prevention and control;on the other hand,incorporating the epidemic prevention and control efforts in the existing cooperation framework.

Finally, providing necessary assistance and support to the countries suffering from the epidemic outbreak as soon as possible.Since the epidemic outbreak in China,leaders of more than 170 countries and 40 heads of international organizations have expressed sympathy and support to China,and China has also received a large amount of international assistance. Now, many countries that have provided assistance to China have also witnessed different degrees of epidemic outbreaks. With the improvement of China's epidemic treatment and control situation and the restoration of economic and social life,China can provide international assistance within its capacity.In addition to providing timely humanitarian assistance to countries with outbreaks, it is more feasible to provide precise support, including providing urgently needed medical materials, sharing feasible treatment plans, and proposal of effective preventive measures.

Under the circumstances that the international diffusion prospect of the epidemic outbreak is unclear and uncertain and the opportunity window to contain the epidemic outbreak across the world is getting smaller, only getting united now,can we overcome the difficult situation and the first great difficulty in 2020s.