Policy Alert #203 | February 14, 2020

An outbreak of novel coronavirus, now classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as COVID-19, began in Hubei Province in China late last year and is shaking the global community as it spreads across borders. In this RPI Policy Alert, we review how the Rising Powers are responding to the political dimensions of the outbreak.

 

CHINA
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs began holding its press conferences online as a precautionary measure. Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chungying had tough words for the US and other developed countries, which Hua alleged were “inappropriately overreacting” by banning Chinese nationals from traveling to their countries and barring entry of flights and passenger ships arriving from China. In press conferences over the last two weeks, the Chinese government has expressed thanks to Algeria, Australia, Belarus, Egypt, France, Germany, Hungary, Indonesia, Italy, Iran, Kazakhstan, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Korea, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom. The Foreign Ministry highlighted the fact that Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was “the first foreign minister to publicly support and encourage China, which in itself demonstrates the sincere and traditional friendship” between the two countries, providing a positive review of Iran’s diplomacy in the wake of last month’s tensions between Iran and the US. Pakistan made a powerful demonstration of solidarity with China by advising its citizens in China–and even in Wuhan specifically–to stay put. 

The status of Taiwan at the World Health Organization (WHO) became a point of contention as Taiwanese travelers were barred entry to other countries given the island’s status under the One China Policy and reported complications for the island’s government to coordinate efforts to contain the virus with WHO. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the Taiwanese government lambasted WHO for ignoring the issue on Twitter, while some government leaders, in particular Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the US House of Representatives, voiced support for allowing Taiwan observer status in the organization. In response to a question on the matter, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua replied: “I would like to reiterate that the WHO is a special UN agency consisting of sovereign states. The Taiwan region’s participation in the activities of international organizations such as the WHO must be arranged through cross-strait consultations under the one-China principle. […] We hope certain individuals in the Taiwan region and the US will stop all political hype-up and manipulation using the epidemic as an excuse.”

• The government-supported China Daily condemned US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross for suggesting that the coronavirus outbreak would be beneficial for spurring job growth in the US: “In Chinese culture, taking advantage of another’s misfortune is the last thing a gentleman is expected to do, which is why Ross’ remarks have sounded so heartless and irritating to Chinese ears. Such remarks do nothing except erase the bonhomie generated by the recent [trade] deal. They show that the two countries still have some work to do to manage their competition.” The nationalist Global Times defended the Chinese government against criticisms of its handling of the outbreak: “Nobody should underestimate China’s ability to fight a public health crisis. Since we can take measures that many countries cannot take, we can also quickly recover vitality after the crisis. Some countries should not be too short-sighted.” Another editorial specifically claimed that the Chinese system of government was uniquely suited for handling the matter. The Global Times also criticized the Taiwanese government for its diplomatic maneuvering in the crisis as evidence that “the well-being of the Taiwanese government means nothing” to its leaders.
• The independent South China Morning Post meanwhile warned against the xenophobia that is spreading alongside the virus: “Xenophobia has no place in a health crisis and can distract from the serious effort to fight illness and disease. At this critical time, there is every need for international cooperation, not a fanning of anti-China flames.”

 

INDIA
In response to the virus, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reportedly sent a letter of support and condolence to Chinese President Xi Jinping. India cancelled all visas issued to Chinese nationals before February 5th, except from those with passports issued in Hong Kong, Macau, or Taiwan, along with other limitations of foreign nationals who recently travelled to the country, but also lifted an export ban on personal protection equipment to help ease the supply shortage in China as it battles the virus.

• The liberal Indian Express argued that the wave of travel bans–which the WHO did not support–are less effective in the long-term battle against the epidemic than effective sharing of information and coordinated effort toward developing a vaccine and treatment: “In a globalised world, the urgency of such preventive steps cannot be overstated. Quarantines and travel bans can, at best, be short-term responses.”
• The pro-government Daily Pioneer warned that the Chinese government’s response to the virus was nothing to admire: “While the authoritarian system allows for unprecedented mobilisation of resources, it also fosters a dangerous culture of auto-denying “bad news” that allows a problem to prolong itself longer than it would normally have, had the issue been tabled in all transparency. The invocation of ‘patriotism’ to cover up tragedies is the bane of all single-party regimes.”
• The center-right Times of India instead focused on how India needs to prepare: “In most parts of India, public health is in shambles and can hinder effective response to disease outbreaks. In this context, roping in private hospitals, all registered medical practitioners and even ASHA workers, who are often the only point of contact between citizens and public healthcare in rural areas, becomes very important.”

 

JAPAN
Following a question during a session of the National Diet, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe made waves by calling for Taiwan to be granted observer status at the World Health Organization and promising that the Japanese government would advance this cause: “It will be difficult to maintain health and prevent further infections in this region if (Taiwan) is excluded for political reasons. […] We will continue to make our country’s stance clear at the WHO.” At a press conference, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi expressed his country’s thanks to China for assisting in the repatriation of its nationals: “[A]midst China’s own earnest efforts toward halting the spread of the novel coronavirus, Japan highly appreciates China’s cooperation for all aspects for the repatriation of Japanese nationals living in Hubei Province.” The Japanese public’s response to the virus, which has included private donations of personal protection equipment sent with messages of support and words of encouragement posted online, prompted a warm thanks from the Chinese Foreign Ministry. 

• The progressive Asahi Shimbun lambasted the government’s lack of preparedness when repatriating Japanese nationals without designated accommodations and lamented the outbreak’s effects on the economy: “The government and the Bank of Japan must scrutinize the latest trend with an open mind and disclose the findings. They need to prepare countermeasures based on developments, paying close attention to the financing needs of businesses and other factors.”
• The left-leaning Mainichi also expressed its concern over the economic effects of the virus: “As the Japanese economy strongly depends on China’s, Tokyo should look into taking swift responses in anticipation of a further economic downturn in China, while keeping a close watch on the trends of coronavirus infections.”
• The conservative Yomiuri Shimbun criticized the Chinese government’s handling of the epidemic: “In this latest outbreak, the Communist Party’s centralized administrative system and controls of speech have emerged as obstacles in the response to the crisis. […] Such an authoritarian system conflicts with measures that a government should take when responding to an emergency, such as sharing information within the government, promptly releasing information and transferring authority to local governments.”

 

RUSSIA
Russian President Vladimir Putin commended China’s efforts to contain the virus: “The Chinese authorities take decisive and vigorous measures to stop the epidemics.” Russia sent six specialists from the Ministry of Health and Federal Service for Consumer Rights Protection and Human Well-Being to China to exchange information with officials to better coordinate assistance efforts. In a press briefing, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova explained that the Russian government was in close communication with China, but also reassured Russian nationals still in Hubei: “Hubei Province can help provide foreigners with everything they need, including medical aid.”

• In a press-review by state-owned TASS, news outlet Izvestia reported widespread pessimism about the virus’s potential effects on the Russian economy.
• State-owned Sputnik News interviewed Olga Karpova, Doctor of Biological Sciences and Head of the Department of Virology at Moscow State University, who urged calm despite the media’s focus on the virus: “Every year, from 500 thousand to 2.5 million people die of the flu and its complications; and, of course, these figures can’t be compared with the deaths caused by the 2019-nCov coronavirus.”

RPI acknowledges support from the MacArthur Foundation and the Carnegie Corporation of New York for its activities.