People.com.cn: 

China has made significant achievements in its response to COVID-19, which have been highly commended by the international community. However, throughout the course of fighting COVID-19, many weak links were also exposed, such as response to major epidemics, emergency medical aid and the emergency supplies reserve. What will you do next to strengthen weakness? Thank you.

Zhao Chenxin:

Thank you for your question. You made a very good point that the international community has highly commended China's epidemic prevention and control. And that is true. In the face of COVID-19, which is a common enemy of the whole world and mankind, we have pooled an unprecedented energy from all reaches of the country. General Secretary Xi Jinping has personally taken charge and planned our response. Under the strong leadership of General Secretary Xi Jinping and the CPC Central Committee, the overall epidemic response has demonstrated China's strength, spirit and efficiency. China's contribution to the global fight against COVID-19 is known to all countries and highly appreciated by forces of justice around the world. Currently, we have entered a stage of further consolidating our gains in epidemic response and conducting a review of our work. During this time, we should review effective practices and successful experiences gained from our epidemic prevention and control work.

At the same time, as you just said, we are also keenly aware of some weak links in responding to major epidemics and ensuring an emergency supplies reserve. We should consider this practically and clear-headedly. In compliance with the requirements of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) has been making adjustments in light of these weak links to optimize the composition of investments from the central government budget. We are now focusing on five major tasks in order to close loopholes and strengthen points of weakness in related areas. Here I would like to brief you on five major tasks.

First, we will build capacity for testing of major infectious disease as well emergency response. We will accelerate improving conditions and promoting upgrades at facilities and for equipment at disease prevention and control institutions. We will also strive to ensure that each province (the autonomous region, municipality) has a biosafety level 3 (P3 laboratory) laboratory and each prefecture-level city has a biosafety level 2 (P2 laboratory) laboratory as soon as possible. By doing so, we will significantly raise the country's ability of rapidly testing, identifying and responding to major epidemics.

Second, we will enhance our capabilities for centralized treatment of patients with major infectious diseases. We will set up a centralized treatment system for major infectious diseases that supports municipalities, provincial capitals and large-scale prefecture-level cities. We will build infectious disease hospitals or relatively-independent infectious disease wards in comprehensive hospitals. Prefecture-level cities with small populations will be required to select qualified hospitals as designated hospitals for the treatment of infectious diseases. Considering our campaign to strengthen points of weakness, we will also ask county seats to build more county-level hospitals. Through capacity-building at different levels, we will establish a tiered, classified system for large-scale infectious disease treatment. Meanwhile, we should increase the flexibility and resilience of the system so that we can be well prepared and able to act with confidence in the event of a sudden epidemic outbreak.

Third, we will upgrade and revamp treatment bases for major epidemics. We will give full consideration to the specific situations of different provinces, such as their population size, and support each province (including autonomous regions and municipalities) to upgrade one to three treatment bases for major epidemics based on their local high-level medical institutions, whether these institutions of a TCM and Western medicine focus. The construction of such treatment bases should take into account their operation both in normal times and during major epidemics. In normal times, the bases will admit and treat those who are severely and critically ill; during major epidemics, however, they will provide centralized treatment of patients. In addition, these bases will build up emergency supplies for the treatment of severe patients and the care of ordinary patients. They will also store the facilities and equipment for makeshift hospitals. These resources should meet the demands of local hospitals for their regular operations, and in the event of a major epidemic outbreak, they will operate according to national deployment. 

Fourth, we will upgrade and construct quarantine sites for major infectious diseases. After accumulating experience from the construction of makeshift hospitals in Wuhan, we will encourage local authorities to fully consider the emergency demand of newly built or under construction projects, including large gyms, sports facilities, exhibition halls and convention and exhibition centers. They should take into account venue design, ventilation systems, logistical systems, water and sewer pipes and reserved access points. Meanwhile, contingency plans should be developed in case major epidemics or emergencies occur, allowing these sites to be quickly transformed into places where mild cases are treated or quarantines are carried out.

Fifth, we will establish a solid system that ensures emergency supplies are on hand. This includes three parts. First, improvements to the purchase and supply system of emergency resources should be made. We will coordinate domestic and international suppliers to ensure the purchase and supply chain is safe and reliable. Second, a relatively strong emergency supplies reserve system should be set up. To do this, we encourage the participation of multiple parties in order to create synergy between the government, enterprises and public institutions, society itself and households. Third, our capacities to produce, allocate and transfer emergency supplies should be raised so that we can produce, supply and replenish emergency materials quickly and constantly whenever needed. In addition, a multi-party coordination mechanism is needed for the allocation and transfer of emergency supplies.

The said five major tasks is I want to introduce. These tasks are both very important and very urgent. We will conscientiously implement the requirements of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, and we will make all-out efforts to complete the five tasks successfully as soon as possible. This will allow us to build a firm protective barrier that safeguards the lives and health of people, and it will also safeguard our national security. That's all for my answer. Thank you.