Joseph Golwa
Reflecting on the influences and changes in our dynamic world, we are reminded of what Lao Tzu the Chinese legendary founder of Taoism, taught about the nature of chaos, responses and self-organization. He taught that transformation and change (either from natural phenomenon or human action),are the essential features of nature; And under change resulting from the interplay of polar opposites, yin and yang, which are irrevocably bound together, is the ultimate reality – the Tao or the path. Global connectivity has indeed bound the world (of different regions/zones) together as one big village, and thus whatever changes affecting one part of that body (positively or negatively), is bound to be felt all over directly or indirectly. That is the Tao, the reality of today international relations. How we respond to the issues and changes to ensure the survival of the human race and live in harmony of shared future for mankind, matters a lot.
Since the outbreak of the 2019-nCov epidemic in December 2019, the disease has been spreading at a speed beyond the expectation of medical experts. Beyond this alarming spread also is the awesomely effective response of the Chinese people and government to curb its spread. The effectiveness of the Chinese response has been manifestly so clear that, since February 1, cured coronavirus cases were reported to have started out numbering deaths. Secondly for the first time in recent years, The World Health Organization (WHO) Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus would acknowledge that china has indeed, “taken more measures to contain the outbreak than it is required to do in case of emergency”. He further confirmed that by nature and magnitude of its efforts, China is setting a new standard for outbreak response for other countries. Impressed with these efforts, the WHO has not yet declared the coronavirus a pandemic. This explains one reason other nations and societies should learn from and emulate china. Secondly, it is important to learn from the “how” china’s experiences with the virus, using their scientific and research ingenuity to contain it. Thirdly, are the disturbing reported new cases of coronavirus in some other countries with no link to the outbreak in Wuham, China. This means it could occur in any country or society in the world. The need for prepared responses for prevention cannot therefore be under estimated. More so, the possibility of this risk is higher globally given the current fast rate of climate change experiences that may condition new viruses which scientists tell us emerge randomly, and they do not have nationalities, race and colour or geographical region of interest. They occur anywhere, anytime. Did we not have the Bubonic Plague- a virus caused used by a bacterium (Yersinia pestis), and, Black Death that killed an estimated 100 million people across Europe and Asia in the middle ages?
As recent as the early 20th Century did we not have the Spanish Flu that killed an estimated 50 million people across Europe? We had in recent past also the HINI Pandemic with estimated deaths of 200,000 to over 500,000 people, the MERS, SARS and recently LASSA fever in Nigeria and Ebola from the Manor River region area of west Africa. Epidemics like conflicts, or locusts or quella birds do not know national or international boundaries. It will be foolhardy for anyone to see the 2019-nCOV as a Chinese problem. Never. Like other epidemics, or conflicts it is our collective problem and hence our collective challenge requiring collective capacity for response. What lessons therefore exist from Chinese efforts for the world to learn.
The first lesson is that of leadership capacity and responsibility. The leaders must take not shirk responsibility and to always be willing to account. The Chinese leadership under President XI Jinping and his cabinet have clear knowledge and understanding of the country’s vision of shared future for mankind. The vision can only be pursued and achieved through commitment, sincerity of purpose and sacrifice. It is not surprising that from their understanding of the unprecedented nature of the virus, the leadership saw it as an all-out people’s war requiring equally unprecedented measures. Following from leadership is the power of decision making. With clear decision is the courage to do that right thing. The leadership immediately decided that corona virus was a crises situation that required emergency handling. Nothing inspires loyalty and commitment of the followership than to know that the leader can be trusted on the path and direction taken during crises situation. Given the pedigree of their successes in handling previous crises situations the international community trusted and believed the Chinese leadership when they assured of their capability and capacity to contain the virus within china. And true to type, China has lived to it promise given the measures taken and the daily increasing number of those healed. The lesson that leadership must be trusted and earn public confidence is an all time truth which must always be upheld.
An exemplary aspect of responsible leadership is not only in the number of times the Politburo standing committee would meet to take decisions within a short time, but admittance of certain shortcomings and deficiencies in the country’s response to the deadly coronavirus outbreak. The Chinese leadership thus quickly identified several areas such as need to resolutely ban trade in illegal wildlife, as well as supervision of markets should be strengthened. In fact, the leadership have seen Covid-19 as “big test” of china’s governance system from which they also have lessons to learn. This informed the stern warning by government that officials should assume full responsibility for their duties in epidemic prevention and that those who failed to perform them would be punished “Admittance of difficulties in the face of natural challenges such as Covid-19 is certainly not weakness but position of inner strength based on sincerity of purpose, and genuine need for solutions. The driving force of commitment is in the Chinese philosophy as expressed by President Xi Jinping that “life comes first.” For indeed life thrives and society progresses only with the “living” not the dead.
Professor Golwa is the Former Director-General Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution and currently, a Senior Research Fellow at the Center for China Studies,(CCS) Abuja