Global co-operation key to beating virus

Wang Zhijian

The world is still battling against Covid-19, and it is a relief to see countries like New Zealand and China have surpassed the peak stage of the pandemic.

The history of human civilisation is one of fighting diseases and tiding over disasters, and this may not be the last time a major health emergency comes knocking at our door.

As the negative impacts of such crises are greatly magnified in the globalised era, the international community should better synergise and co-ordinate approaches to tackle them.

Huge losses have been occurring not only in health and lives but also in economic terms. But as Friedrich Engels noted, ‘‘there is no great historical evil without a compensating historical progress’’.

Global governance could continue to be reformed to address deficiencies of globalisation, drawing from lessons learnt including from the pandemic outbreak this time. However, the trend of collaboration among nations should never falter.

Due to the increasing interdependency among economies, countries need to work together to co-ordinate macroeconomic policies as well as restoring supply chain and trade links for the common good.

Multilateral collaboration especially in trade area helps to curb probability of war and mitigate the ‘‘rule of jungle’’.

If international trade dwindles sharply from deliberate ‘‘decoupling’’ or even a ‘‘new Cold War’’, the world will degrade into the Dark Age. Not only economic prosperity but also global security will be jeopardised.

In the post Covid-19 era, international and regional economic co-operation mechanisms will continue to play a steering role in co-ordinating recovery efforts.

Trade ministers from Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (Apec) countries, in a joint statement in May, called for working closely to address pandemic-related disruptions with urgency and ensuring flow of trade and investment in these trying times. Facilitating essential movement of people across borders was also mentioned.

New Zealand will host and chair Apec next year. The incoming Apec meetings including the summit will carry more global weight in the light of addressing repercussions of the pandemic. Mitigating the health and economic impact caused by Covid-19 as well as fast-tracking revitalisation of the region’s economy are expected to be prioritised.

Enhancing partnership between New Zealand and China, both as active open economies in Asia Pacific, will yield win-win outcomes. According to Statistics NZ, our bilateral trade volume in the first quarter of this year maintained stable growth, demonstrating respective economic resilience. With the picking up of China’s domestic consumption, demands for high-quality products from New Zealand will continue to rise.

A controllable ‘‘bubble’’ arrangement between both countries is worth exploring to help the speedy rebound of international education and tourism sectors.

Unsurprisingly, diversification from China’s market has again been voiced. However, economic interdependence has resulted from free and reasonable choices of businesses according to economic rules. With a consumer market of more than 400million middle class and strong manufacturing capabilities as the ‘‘world’s factory’’, China may continue to be the ‘‘largest basket’’, and China’s market should not be rashly abandoned.

Despite the urgency of economic recovery, eradicating the virus will remain top priority for the global community. As China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi stressed, one country’s success does not mean the end of the global pandemic; only when the virus is defeated in all countries can we claim a true victory.

Concerted containment approaches across the borders are being formulated, but on the other hand, stigmatisation, finger-pointing and shifting the blame are fuelling confrontations among major powers that should have otherwise worked closely to save the planet. To co-ordinate the joint fight globally, the United Nations must play a central role, and the World Health Organisation (WHO) must be able to perform its mandates without hindrance.

The 73rd session of the World Health Assembly highlighted sustained global co-operation, unity and solidarity. WHO Secretary-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has pointed out that when unity defeats ideology, everything is possible, sending a clear message against confrontational bloc-building.

At the assembly, President Xi Jinping outlined China’s vision and support, offering a series of new pledges including providing $US2billion (about $NZ3.1billion) over two years to help with Covid-19 responses, working with the UN to set up a global humanitarian response depot and hub in China, establishing a co-operation mechanism for its hospitals to pair up with 30 African hospitals, as well as making any vaccine developed by China a global public good.

He also mentioned China supports the idea of a comprehensive review of the global response to Covid-19, after it is brought under control, to sum up experience and address deficiencies. However, this work should be based on science and professionalism, led by WHO and conducted in an objective and impartial manner. It should be free from political interference.

On the bilateral level, medical experts from China and New Zealand have collaborated to tackle the pandemic since the onset through sharing clinical protocols and first-hand experience. There will be huge potential to tap in joint research on containing contagious diseases in the future.

No winter lasts forever, every spring is sure to follow. The world will certainly not be the same again as history always moves forward. I believe humanity will come through this disaster, sturdier and more united. If we make the right choice and stay on the right path, the world will triumph over the virus and embrace a brighter future.