Control outbreak while reviving economic activity

With the implementation of strict epidemic prevention and control measures and gradual resumption of economic and social activities in many countries and regions, striking the right balance between the two has become a universal issue.

The novel coronavirus outbreak is the worst global public health crisis the country has faced since the founding of New China. China has basically curbed the spread of the virus thanks to the stringent measures it has taken and the tremendous efforts of its health workers, Party and government officials and the public. In fact, epidemic prevention and control measures have become the new normal in China. In the process, China has accumulated abundant experience in terms of achieving the dual goals of epidemic control and economic recovery.

First, China has gradually established a governance methodology of making overall plans that take into consideration different factors, both constant and variable. It has applied this methodology to prevent and control the spread of the virus and to boost economic recovery. In particular, this methodology will prevent officials from excessively focusing on either epidemic prevention or economic recovery. It will also prevent them from imposing prevention and control measures that are strict enough to impede resumption of normal production, which is important to ensure people's livelihoods and social development are not compromised.

Second, China has adopted a targeted and differentiated epidemic prevention and control policy. It has evaluated the epidemic risks in different cities and counties and implemented different prevention and control measures in different regions. Which have effectively reduced the negative impact of the epidemic control measures on socioeconomic development.

For instance, Zhejiang province has used an epidemic risk analysis and dynamic management mechanism based on four assessment indicators, including total number of coronavirus cases and cluster infections, dividing its 90 cities and counties into five different risk zones. Such a kind of county-level risk analysis provides the basis for scientific and targeted epidemic prevention and control measures and safe and orderly resumption of production, effectively promoting resumption of socioeconomic activities while easing the public's worries.

China has also calibrated its targeted anti-virus measures to prevent a second wave of infections. As for resuming production, China has adopted targeted and differentiated measures in different regions to help enterprises overcome the obstacles in resuming normal production.

And third, digital and intelligent technologies have played a key role in preventing the spread of the virus and reviving economic activities. This is the unique advantage modern China enjoys in the battle against public health emergencies such as the novel coronavirus outbreak.

Information and communications technology such as big data has been used in targeted epidemic prevention and control measures to determine and monitor coronavirus cases, and keep the public well informed about the epidemic situation in the country. For example, China has invented and applied a health code to monitor individuals' health condition and monitor their movements to prevent community infections, as well as help enterprises restart operations, which is a significant innovation aimed at balancing epidemic-control work with economic recovery.

The digital economy, including 5G technology, big data, artificial intelligence and industrial internet, has developed rapidly and helped the country cope with the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic, which has expedited the digitalization of economic and social activities, and helped digitalize production and governance.

Given these facts, the Chinese government and enterprises attach great importance to new technologies. For instance, some enterprises have adopted intelligent technology reconstruction strategies to make full use of automation in production during the epidemic. As a matter of fact, many local officials have become live-streaming anchors promoting local specialties; they are also using new technologies to promote the resumption of normal socioeconomic activities.

Humankind as a whole is confronted with a common enemy in the form of the novel coronavirus. As the global epidemic situation is yet to be controlled, we should enhance international cooperation to strike the right balance between epidemic control measures and socioeconomic development.

The author is a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Governance. The views don't necessarily represent those of China Daily.