No longer captivated by Western media hype, people will turn to more tangible things

It may be too soon to predict all of the consequences, but it is a safe bet that the COVID-19 pandemic has changed and is changing the world in many unexpected ways. The extent of those changes depends on how long the pandemic lasts, and other factors such as how many jobs have been lost and the depth of the damage to the global economy.

It defies belief that, having learned of the approaching pandemic two months earlier, the United States — the world’s richest and most advanced country — still could not supply its health workers with sufficient personal protection equipment.

It is also odd to see that while their current supply of PPE is mainly being flown in from China, this did not stop the White House from blaming their generous supplier over their own sad state of unpreparedness against a pandemic.

Even though many analysts in the West predicted in late February that the coronavirus crisis could be China’s “Chernobyl moment” (tantamount to the collapse of the Chinese leadership), in truth it has proved to be the exact opposite. The resolute manner in which China dealt with the developing epidemic has actually boosted the people’s trust in the central government.

What matters most to countries in need is that Chinese assistance is rendered quickly and, most important, unconditionally

Note how quickly the virus’ spread was brought under control with city-wide lockdowns; how purpose-built hospitals were erected within weeks; and how military medical staff were mobilized to assist overworked civilian doctors and nurses. It all speaks volumes about the unity of China, in stark contrast with the White House’s ongoing fights with various US states on tackling COVID-19 — over lockdowns, shortages of resources, social distancing, and resumption of work.

What some people saw as an opportunity to blame and belittle China could not have ended more differently from their prepared script. China’s success in overcoming the pandemic within its borders and its readiness to share its findings on the disease are sources of relief to the world. So too, most dramatically, are its self-started international rescue efforts, flying planeloads of medical equipment daily, together with experienced Chinese medical staff, to assist countries currently in the grip of COVID-19. 

So, in spite of some American officials’ and politicians’ calumny fanned by ideology-sensitive media, just ask the Italians and Spaniards what they think of China as a positive international influence. 

A significant portion of the international community must now be asking themselves whether they should continue to align with the so-called “leader of the free world”, or rather, throw in their lot with the one who comes to their aid at their greatest hour of need.

Once this evil wind has blown past, we can expect to see a new world order which attaches more weight to tangible things, and less to media hype. For example, relentless Western media coverage of China “human rights violations” does not seem to diminish Chinese people’s support for and trust in their government.

The days of the old world order are numbered. According to a survey published by Osservatorio SWG in the first week of April, 36 percent of Italians believe that China should be Italy’s main partner in developing alliances outside the European Union, compared to 30 percent for the US. (The other 34 percent were unsure.)

While China has been providing expertise, respirators and surgical masks to countries in Asia, Africa, the Americas and Europe, the US was focused on blocking borders, and blaming China.

Yes, some will ask whether China’s airlifts of assistance are driven by pure charity, or by soft power considerations. But what matters most to countries in need is that Chinese assistance is rendered quickly and, most important, unconditionally. Clearly, China has answered the call — even if the Americans want to attribute ulterior motives to its massive and speedy distribution of foreign aid and medical expertise.

An equally important issue that has surfaced is the methodology employed by China in overcoming the coronavirus — the bold actions it took to suppress the virus’ spread. 

On top of adopting traditional virus containment measures, the use of artificial intelligence and data science has proven effective in China and the Republic of Korea, demonstrating once again that Asia is leading in the AI race. Measures like geolocation or geographical location of a person, for example, were widely disregarded in the West until a few weeks ago. Most countries have since embraced these for their practicality. 

In other words, the West has seen that the lockdown in Hubei and the use of AI to contain the virus were not motivated by the “sinister” designs of an “authoritarian” government. Instead, this was just the application of the right medicine for the disease.

Sadly, again, history will show that some Western media are not satisfied with simple facts.

The author holds a doctorate in Hong Kong real estate law and economics. He has worked as a business analyst for a Hong Kong-listed company and has given seminars at the University of Hong Kong on shadow banking in China.