On the evening of 26th, March, President Xi Jinping attended the Extraordinary G20 Leaders’ Summit on COVID-19 in Beijing and delivered important remarks entitled “Working Together to Defeat the COVID-19 Outbreak”. Xi stressed that facing the COVID-19 outbreak caught us by surprise, the Chinese government and Chinese people have been undaunted as we took on this formidable task. From day one of our fight against the outbreak, we have put people’s life and health first. We have acted according to the overall principle of shoring up confidence, strengthening unity, ensure scientific control and treatment and imposing targeted measures. We have mobilized the whole nation, set up collective control and treatment mechanisms and acted with openness and transparency. What we fought was a people’s war against the outbreak. We have put up a strenuous struggle and made tremendous sacrifices. Now the situation in China is moving steadily in a positive direction. Life and work are quickly returning to normal. Yet, there is no way we will lower our guard or relax control. Currently, the COVID-19 is spreading worldwide. At such a moment, it is indispensable for the global community to boost confidence, act with unity and work together in a collective response so that humanity as one could win the battle against such a major infectious disease. Guided by the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind, China will be more than ready to provide assistance where we can do to other countries and contribute to a stable world economy.
Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of CPC Central Committee and member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, was in attendance. .
Xi firstly expressed that a lot of members of the international community rendered sincere assistance and support to China at the most difficult moment in the fight against the epidemic. Such expressions of friendship will always be remembered and cherished by the Chinese people.
Xi noted that major disease is the enemy of all. The COVID-19 outbreak is spreading across the world, posing enormous threat to life and health and bringing formidable challenge to global public health security. He put forth four proposals upon the issue.
Firstly, we need to be resolute in fighting an all-out global war against the COVID-19 outbreak. A G20 health ministers’ meeting is urged to be held as quick as possible to improve information sharing, strengthen cooperation on drugs, vaccines and epidemic control, and cut off cross-border infections. G20 members need to jointly help developing countries with weak public health systems enhance preparedness and response. I propose a G20 COVID-19 assistance initiative for better information sharing and policy and action coordination with the support of the World Health Organization. Guided by the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind. China will be more than ready to share our good practices, conduct joint research and development of drugs and vaccines, and provide assistance where we can to countries hit by the growing epidemic.
Secondly, we need to make a collective response for control and treatment at the international level. China has set up its online COVID-19 knowledge center that is accessible to all counties. It is imperative that countries pool their strengths and speed up research and development of drugs, vaccines and testing capabilities in the hope to achieve early breakthrough to the benefit of all. Discussions are also needed regarding the establishment of regional emergency liaison mechanisms to enable quicker response to public health emergencies.
Thirdly, we need to support international organizations in playing their active roles. China supports WHO in leading the global efforts to develop science-based and proper control and treatment and minimize cross-border spread. I call on G20 members to enhance anti-epidemic information sharing with the support of WHO and to promote control and treatment protocols that are comprehensive, systematic and effective. The G20 platform for communication and coordination may be used to increase policy dialogue and exchange, and a high-level meeting on international public health security may be convened in due course.
Fourthly, we need to intensify international macro-economic policy coordination. Countries need to leverage and coordinate their macro policies to counteract the negative impact and prevent the world economy from failing into recession. Strong and effective fiscal and monetary policies are needed to keep global financial markets and industrial and supply chains stable. China will increase its supply of active pharmaceutical ingredients, daily necessities, and anti-epidemic and other supplies to the international market. Moreover, China will continue to pursue a proactive fiscal policy and prudent momentary policy, advance reform and opening-up, enlarge market access, improve the business environment, and expand imports and outbound investment to contribute to a stable world economy.
Xi called for collective actions of all G20 members, including cutting tariffs, removing barriers, and facilitating the unfettered flow of trade. Thus, a strong signal was sent to shore up confidence for global economic recovery. The G20 should draw up an action plan and set up communication mechanisms and institutional arrangements for anti-epidemic macro policy coordination.
At last, Xi underlined prompt action to encounter challenges at this crucial moment. He believed that through solidarity and mutual assistance, we will prevail over the outbreak and embrace a brighter future for mankind.
This year’s summit was chaired by King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arbia, the G20 presidency this year. It was attended by the leaders of G20 members and some invited countries and heads of the World Health Organization, the United Nations, the International Momentary Fund, the World Bank and some other international organizations.
All Party shared the view that the fast spreading outbreak has not only seriously undermined global public health security but also brought enormous negative impacts in economic, financial and political terms. In the face of this common crisis for humanity, no country can stay immune. Now is the time more than ever that the international community needs solidarity and cooperation. It is necessary to take prompt, coordinated and robust actions to effectively contain the spread of the virus, strengthen joint research an development of drugs and vaccines, enhance the treatment of those affected and protect the lives and health of people. They called for effective fiscal and momentary policies to keep global supply chains safe and stable, maintain global financial stability spur an early recovery of the world economy, and minimize the economic and social damage caused by COVID-19. All parties expressed support for the leading role of Who and committed to help developing countries and vulnerable groups enhance preparedness and response capacity.
The summit released the Extraordinary G20 Leaders’ Summit Statement on COVID-19.
Ding Xuexiang, Liu He, Yang Jiechi, Wang Yi, Xiao Jie and He Lifeng also attended the summit.
The summit, hosted by Saudi Arabia via video link, was aimed at promoting global cooperation on fighting the epidemic and stabilizing the world economy.