Going Through the Epidemic, China’s Economy Will Become More Resilient, Stable and Dynamic
中国战疫必胜，经济更具活力
The New Zealand Herald Publishes a Signed Article by Ambassador Wu Xi
吴玺大使在《新西兰先驱报》发表署名文章
6 March 2020
2020年3月6日
The sudden outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic has put China on the front line of fighting the epidemic. The Chinese government puts people’s life and health first, and under the leadership of President Xi Jinping, we are taking a all-of-government approach, leveraging all-of-nation resources, and mobilising all-of-society forces to fight a people’s war against the epidemic. Thanks to these efforts, the prevention and control of the epidemic is making positive progress. Daily new confirmed and suspected cases of COVID-19 have trended downward overall for two weeks. Nationwide, discharged patients far outnumber confirmed cases, with around 3,000 daily discharged cases over recent days. With strong and determined leadership, a highly efficient system and fully united population, we have every confidence in winning the war against the COVID-19 epidemic.
新冠肺炎疫情发生以来，习近平总书记时刻关注疫情形势，把疫情防控作为头等大事来抓，亲自指挥、亲自部署，推动和指导疫情防控工作。在习近平总书记坚强领导下，中方充分发挥制度优势，实施举国体制，采取了最全面、最彻底、最严格的防控举措，目前全国疫情防控形势积极向好的态势正在拓展。近两周，中国境内新增确诊病例和疑似病例都呈下降趋势，全国累计治愈出院病例超过5万例，每天超过3000例。防控工作取得积极成效，再次彰显了中国特色社会主义制度的显著优势。在以习近平同志为核心的党中央坚强领导下，全国各族人民万众一心、众志成城，必将尽早打赢疫情防控阻击战。
The epidemic has undoubtedly affected China’s macroeconomic environment, and service industries have been significantly impacted over the Chinese New Year holiday period. However, the impact on the economy will be short-term and manageable. The fundamentals of China’s long-term economic development remain unchanged, and the long-term positive factors and fundamentals of high-quality growth will not be reversed by the epidemic.
疫情不可避免会对中国经济社会造成较大冲击，但这种冲击是短期的、总体上是可控的。中国经济长期向好的基本面没有改变，体量韧性、产业布局、政策调控等优势将持续推动中国经济高质量发展。
China’s economy is big enough and agile enough to fend off short term risks. China has good leeway to manage investment, consumption, exports, infrastructure, and people’s wellbeing. China’s deficit stands at around 3 percent of GDP, lower than many developed and developing countries, allowing space for effective policies to be implemented. New types of industrialisation are underway, urbanisation and digitisation are accelerating, and the economy is becoming more information based. People’s purchasing power has been suppressed by the epidemic, but will rebound.
一是体量韧性优势。中国经济体量大、韧性强，政府在投资、消费、出口、基建和民生等领域的政策工具箱充足。赤字率仅占全国GDP的3%，低于许多发达国家和发展中国家，预留了较大政策空间。新经济、城镇化、数字化、信息化正加速推进，居民消费在疫情过后也将迅速恢复。
Another advantage of China’s economy is the world’s most complete industrial chains and most efficient supply chains. City and industrial clusters are well distributed along the country’s coastal areas and inland areas. The economy is also diversified, with strong state-owned enterprises, mixed-ownership enterprises and a thriving private economy. The strengths of China’s service industry remain virtually intact and will bounce back after the epidemic.
二是产业布局优势。中国拥有全球最完整的产业链和最高效的供应链，城市群和产业集群广泛分布在沿海及内陆地区。国有企业、私营企业、混合所有制企业等多元市场主体各展所长。受影响较小的服务行业在疫情结束后势必出现快速反弹回升。
China’s economy also enjoys institutional strength. The market plays a decisive role in the allocation of resources. The government has strong capabilities in macroeconomic coordination and control, resource allocation and emergency response capabilities, as well as sufficient economic, financial, and administrative tools at its disposal.
三是政策调控优势。政府在宏观经济调控、资源配置、应急管理等方面发挥重要作用，拥有完备的经济、金融等政策工具。加大宏观政策调节力度，有效对冲疫情影响，防止经济运行滑出合理区间。
China’s ongoing process of reform and opening up will not be disrupted by the epidemic. The country continues to promote supply-side structural reforms, building free trade zones, further opening the domestic market to foreign capital, and fostering a market environment underscored by fair competition. These efforts will continue to accelerate once the epidemic is under control.
四是改革开放优势。中国改革开放进程不会受到疫情影响。中方将继续推进供给侧结构性改革、自由贸易区建设、国内市场对外开放，持续激发市场活力和增长潜能，不断提高资源配置效率和全要素生产率。
Standing back, it is evident that China’s economy has a long and proven track record of resilience. It has withstood previous challenges, such as the Asian Financial Crisis and the Global Financial Crisis. The economy successfully rebounded following SARS in 2003, H1N1 (swine flu) in 2009, and H7N9 (bird flu) in 2013, as well as the devastating Wenchuan earthquake in 2008.
历史证明，中国经济近40多年来保持健康稳定发展，在面对风险挑战时具有强大的韧性和活力。中方成功化解亚洲金融危机、全球金融危机等严峻考验，在历经2003年“非典”、2009年H1N1流感、2013年禽流感，以及2008年汶川地震等重大疫情和自然灾害后快速恢复经济社会发展，足见经济之韧性、市场之活力。
On Feb. 23, President Xi stressed coordinated efforts to advance COVID-19 prevention and control, and economic and social development in his important speech delivered at a national tele-conference. China is committed to establishing an economic and social order aligned with epidemic control, while resuming work and production in an orderly manner. Regions are taking approaches which are relevant and targeted to their specific needs and situations. At the same time, travel and logistics channels have been re-opened and cargo transport restrictions have been lifted.
2月23日，习近平总书记在统筹推进新冠肺炎疫情防控和经济社会发展工作部署电视电话会议上强调，在继续毫不放松抓紧抓实抓细各项防控工作的同时，将有序恢复生产生活秩序，统筹抓好各地区防控工作，加强医用物资和生活必需品应急供应，切实维护社会稳定。落实分区分级精准防控策略，打通人流、物流堵点，放开货运物流限制，推动产业链各环节协同复工复产。在习近平总书记亲自部署和指导下，中方将采取一系列具体措施统筹推动疫情防控和经济发展，全面打赢疫情防控阻击战，为疫情防控国际合作作出更大贡献。
We will practice prudent and flexible monetary policies and more positive and proactive fiscal policies. Targeted financial services will be provided for the resumption of business and growth in the real economy. The People’s Bank of China has already released 3 trillion yuan in liquidity, and 99.5 billion yuan has been earmarked by fiscal departments at varying levels to help fight the epidemic.
一是用好金融工具。继续实施积极的财政政策和稳健的货币政策，提供专门金融政策服务，全力支持实体经济恢复发展。中国人民银行将设立3000亿低成本专项再贷款，超预期提供流动性，各级财政部门安排专项资金995亿元保障疫情防控。
A series of fiscal and tax support measures and well-targeted financial measures has also been announced to support small and medium-sized enterprises, to ensure stable production and supply of farm produce, preparing for spring farming, and the prevention and mitigation of disasters.
二是出台专门政策。出台实施阶段性、有针对性的减税降费政策，重点支持一些行业复工复产，帮助中小微企业渡过难关。抓好春季农业生产，组织好农资生产、流通、供应，适时开展春播。打好脱贫攻坚战，促进农业农村发展，结合疫情防控重点支持农村公共卫生系统建设。
We will expand effective demand and unleash consumption potential by encouraging effective investment and stepping up the construction of new investment projects, overcoming the remaining challenges of poverty alleviation, promoting rural development, and supporting rural settlements and public health systems in combination with epidemic prevention. We will also support research and development for medicines, drugs and vaccines, biomedicines and medical equipment, and develop 5G networks and industrial internet to meet growing consumer demand.
三是激活消费潜能。通过鼓励投资和新增项目建设，扩大有效需求，释放消费潜力。继续加强病毒溯源和传播机理研究，加强药品疫苗、检测试剂、医疗装备等研发，促进5G网络和工业互联网建设，更好满足快速增长的消费需求。
China will deepen the process of opening up and cooperating internationally, enhance communication and boost coordination with our economic and trade partners. We will implement major new foreign investment projects, expand the opening-up of finance and other services, and continue to improve the business environment.
四是加强国际合作。继续扩大对外开放，加大国际合作力度，不断加强与主要贸易伙伴的沟通协调，实施重大外国投资项目，扩大金融等服务业开放力度，持续优化营商环境，增强外商长期投资经营的信心。
As with every crisis, China will also learn from the lessons of this epidemic. We will draw on the experience of the outbreak to improve our capacity for dealing with major public health emergencies. We will take the opportunity to further modernise our governance capacity. In particular, we will strengthen the ability to manage epidemic prevention and control by law, and improve the national public health emergency management system.
五是提高治理能力。及时总结疫情防控的经验做法，不断提高应对重大公共卫生突发事件的能力。全力推动治理体系和治理能力现代化，特别是全面提高依法防控依法治理能力，健全国家公共卫生应急管理体系。
China’s efforts to fight the epidemic and boost the economy will effectively reduce the epidemic and economic risks the world may be exposed to. Today, China’s GDP accounts for around 16 percent of the global total and contributes over 30 percent of world economic growth. By fighting COVID-19, China is safeguarding both its own country, and the rest of the world.
六是统筹抗疫和发展。中国在统筹疫情防控与经济发展方面所作努力有效缓解全球面临的疫情和经济风险。中国GDP约占全球总量的16%，对世界经济增长贡献率超过30%。在抗击疫情第一线，中方不仅对本国人民负责，也为全球公共卫生事业尽责。
Epidemics do not respect national borders. As non-traditional-security risks, no country is immune to them or can cope with them in isolation. Global risks require global responses, which is one of the reasons why President Xi speaks of building community with a shared future for mankind. Only by building this community can we move together to a bright future. China will work actively with other parties at regional and global levels to cope with, and overcome these global challenges.
疫情不分国界。在全球化时代，各国命运相连、休戚相关，任何国家在面临非传统安全风险时都无法独善其身。习近平主席提出的“构建人类命运共同体”理念是应对全球挑战、推动人类社会发展进步的唯一正确方向。中方将秉持人类命运共同体理念，加强国际协调合作，共同呵护人类赖以居住的星球，共同建设荣损与共的地球村。