By JIA Qingguo
Director of the Institute for Global Cooperation and Understanding (iGCU), Peking University
Member of the Standing Committee of the 11th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference
Former Dean of the School of International Studies at Peking University
In May 2020, Jia Qingguo, member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), director of the Institute for Global Cooperation and Understanding, Peking University(iGCU), submitted a proposal to the CPPCC on vigorously strengthening the establishment of public health epidemic prevention and control systems, suggesting a significantly increased engagement in the national public health epidemic prevention and control system. Jia Qingguo pointed out that the COVID-19 has proved that security risks posed by large-scale epidemic can be very high, even no less than war. In this context, it is imperative for us to adjust our thinking and approach in maintaining national security. In terms of thinking, we might need to bring the prevention of large-scale epidemic to the same status as maintaining national military security; in terms of approach, we need to make greater efforts in engagement, institutions establishment and legal protection.
To this end, Jia Qingguo made the following three suggestions:
First, it is imperative to comprehensively reform the existing public health epidemic prevention and control system, significantly increase the level of management agencies, establish a national vertical management structure, improve the direct reporting system, conduct routine risk analysis and research of epidemic, strengthen virus research, intensify publicity efforts on epidemic prevention and control, set up an emergency response mechanism, and build a team for permanent public health epidemic prevention and control.
Second, it is imperative to significantly increase engagement in national public health epidemic prevention and control system.
Third, it is imperative to strengthen cooperation on international public health epidemic prevention and control, including supporting the WHO in performing its responsibilities, promoting the construction of international public health epidemic prevention and control systems, and enhancing cooperation and exchange of experts and scholars.
Note：The Chinese version of this article has been published by China Economic News Net on May 23, 2020. This is a abridged version.
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