On January 8th 2023, China will manage COVID-19 with measures against Class-B infectious diseases and adopt provisional measures on cross-border travel. It has aroused extensive concern of the international community.
We stand ready to step up communication with the rest of the international community and work together to prevail over COVID. Meanwhile, we do not believe the entry restriction measures some countries have taken against China are science-based. Some of these measures are disproportionate and simply unacceptable. We firmly reject using COVID measures for political purposes and will take corresponding measures in response to varying situations based on the principle of reciprocity.
Health experts from many countries have said that the main variant now spreading in China has previously been found elsewhere already, and that a new variant can emerge anywhere on the planet, which means entry restrictions targeting China are unnecessary. China always believes that for all countries, COVID response measures need to be science-based and proportionate. They should not be used for political manipulation, there should not be discriminatory measures against certain countries, and measures should not affect normal travel and people-to-people exchange and cooperation.
Since COVID-19 began, China has actively participated in international cooperation against the pandemic and immediately joined the international response to the COVID challenge. Based on the latest changes in the COVID situation and the circumstances facing our response, the competent authorities in China have shared information in a timely, open and transparent manner in accordance with the law. We shared the genome data of the virus from the latest COVID cases in China via the Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data (GISAID). Several days ago, the competent Chinese authorities had a virtual meeting with the WHO and had technical exchange on the current COVID situation, treatment and vaccination. The two sides agreed to continue technical exchanges and contribute to an early global victory over the pandemic.
China’s COVID situation is predictable and under control. We stand ready to work with the international community in solidarity, tackle the COVID challenge more effectively, and better protect people’s lives and health. We will continue to adapt and adjust our COVID response measures in light of the latest COVID situation, better facilitate the safe and orderly cross-border travel of Chinese and foreign nationals and international exchange and cooperation.
No doubt that the current move in regard to COVID-19 will help restore personnel exchanges and business travel between China and foreign countries, restore confidence in investment and business, and restore market optimism as well as bring the wide vision for the post-pandemic economic rebound. The Chinese economy is resilient, has great potential and is full of vitality. It is expected that the Chinese economy will rebound on the whole and achieve both qualitative and quantitative growth in 2023. Several international agencies have raised their forecasts for China’s economic growth in 2023, predicting that China will achieve a growth rate of over 5 per cent, much higher than that of the world as a whole and other major economies.
China and West Australia are highly complementary economies and have a long history of friendly cooperation in various fields. It is believed that as the global COVID-19 situation stabilises and the high-quality development measures set by the 20th Communist Party National Congress are put in place, the Chinese economy will enjoy faster growth and make a greater contribution to world economic recovery and also bring more development opportunities for practical cooperation for West Australia.
We hope that people of insight from all walks of life in Western Australia will view China’s COVID-19 situation and prevention and control measures objectively, do more to promote bilateral relations and provide better conditions and atmosphere for exchanges and cooperation in various fields.