London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Oct 22, 2025

Int'l cooperation against coronavirus is urgently needed

Int'l cooperation against coronavirus is urgently needed

The international reaction to the outbreak of the coronavirus was expectedly mixed: the serious and responsible action by the World Health Organization, an intensified international cooperation in research of the new virus, the necessary measures of protection on the one hand and more panicky and politicized reactions on the other.

The extreme example of the latter was the now-notorious statement by the U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, suggesting that the outbreak in China represents an economic opportunity for the U.S., now engaged in a trade war against China.

The political atmosphere surrounding the outbreak requires careful reflection and responsible handling by the key political actors of the world. While it is necessary to ensure protection against the spreading of the disease, the design of the measures of protection and their presentation to the public must avoid panicky reactions and political manipulation.

In the time of social media and internet connectivity it is all too easy to fall into the trap of hyperbole and panic. And, above all, it is necessary to understand that infectious diseases represent a real and growing threat that has to be countered by an adequate international cooperation.

Almost two decades ago, the UN established its High Level International Panel on "Threats Challenges and Change" to study the problems of peace and security in our era and propose the ways to address them.

In 2004, the Panel published its report in which it identified number of new threats, among them the spreading of infectious diseases which were expected to emerge in the future. Moreover, the report called attention to the overall deterioration of the global health system, which is ill-equipped to protect the world against existing and emerging infectious diseases.

Kofi Annan, the UN Secretary-General of the time, wrote, in his introduction to the report: "We need to pay much closer attention to biological security." Our response to HIV/AIDS was "shockingly late and shamefully ill-resourced." These were strong warnings, not heeded at the time as they should have been.

The experience of the world with global effects of epidemics is not new and it shows that improvements in the global system of cooperation are long overdue. For example, the influenza pandemic of 1919, started in Europe and killed 100 million people. HIV/AIDS in the late 20th century started in the United States and represented a global threat for more than two decades. And it is not yet eradicated. The experiences of international reaction to the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and with the bird flu – both in our century – have been a reminder of the problems that had to be addressed globally.

However, the international action remained short lived and have not yet led to a more robust international system of protection.

China has been exposed to these dangers more than most other countries of the world. The ongoing combination of rapid urbanization and global climate change have created conditions in which new viruses emerge and are transmitted from animals to humans more easily than before. They also spread among humans more speedily.

The evolution of air traffic has added to this, in particular since the speed of air travel vastly outpaces the incubation periods for most of the infectious diseases.

In these circumstances China has reacted to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus with determination and systematically. Scientific cooperation among the research centers around the world has intensified remarkably.

Examples of successful treatment of people infected by coronavirus are not yet numerous, but the first cases from China and Thailand are encouraging. The world has all the means to succeed in curbing the outbreak.

Some important tasks have to be accomplished at the political level. First and foremost, this is the time to express solidarity with the people in China and to support all the efforts of China in fighting the disease.

The demonstrated ability to mobilize its vast human, material and financial resources is a major source of self-confidence for China. If there were shortcomings in the early phases of the outbreak, they can be remedied now and its health system strengthened. The international community has every reason to trust China to do its best and to succeed.

At the global level, the international community has to revisit the task of improving the system of protection against infectious diseases. As mentioned above, this is not a new task. However, the activities pursued so far have not yet yielded the desired results.

Now is a good time to remind the world leaders of the half-finished debates of the past two decades and of the need to strengthen the international cooperation for an adequate protection against the global spreading of infectious diseases.

Peace is more than a mere absence of a global war. Peace requires much more and protection of lives against epidemics must be a priority. This is not a time for futile criticism of globalization, but rather a time for strengthened multilateral cooperation, which alone can secure a peaceful and a more prosperous world.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
‘Frightening’ First Night in Prison for Sarkozy: Inmates Riot and Shout ‘Little Nicolas’
White House Announces No Imminent Summit Between Trump and Putin
US and Qatar Warn EU of Trade and Energy Risks from Tough Climate Regulation
Apple Challenges EU Digital Markets Act Crackdown in Landmark Court Battle
Nicolas Sarkozy begins five-year prison term at La Santé in Paris
Japan stocks surge to record as Sanae Takaichi becomes Prime Minister
This Is How the 'Heist of the Century' Was Carried Out at the Louvre in Seven Minutes: France Humiliated as Crown with 2,000 Diamonds Vanishes
China Warns UK of ‘Consequences’ After Delay to London Embassy Approval
France’s Wealthy Shift Billions to Luxembourg and Switzerland Amid Tax and Political Turmoil
"Sniper Position": Observation Post Targeting 'Air Force One' Found Before Trump’s Arrival in Florida
Shouting Match at the White House: 'Trump Cursed, Threw Maps, and Told Zelensky – "Putin Will Destroy You"'
Windows’ Own ‘Siri’ Has Arrived: You Can Now Talk to Your Computer
Thailand and Singapore Investigate Cambodian-Based Prince Group as U.S. and U.K. Sanctions Unfold
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
Chinese Tech Giants Halt Stablecoin Launches After Beijing’s Regulatory Intervention
Manhattan Jury Holds BNP Paribas Liable for Enabling Sudanese Government Abuses
Trump Orders Immediate Release of Former Congressman George Santos After Commuting Prison Sentence
S&P Downgrades France’s Credit Rating, Citing Soaring Debt and Political Instability
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
Diane Keaton’s Cause of Death Revealed as Pneumonia, Family Confirms
Former Lostprophets Frontman Ian Watkins Stabbed to Death in British Prison
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Outsider, Heroine, Trailblazer: Diane Keaton Was Always a Little Strange — and Forever One of a Kind
Dramatic Development in the Death of 'Mango' Founder: Billionaire's Son Suspected of Murder
Two Years of Darkness: The Harrowing Testimonies of Israeli Hostages Emerging From Gaza Captivity
EU Moves to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine
Europe Emerges as the Biggest Casualty in U.S.-China Rare Earth Rivalry
HSBC Confronts Strategic Crossroads as NAB Seeks Only Retail Arm in Australia Exit
U.S. Chamber Sues Trump Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
Shenzhen Expo Spotlights China’s Quantum Step in Semiconductor Self-Reliance
China Accelerates to the Forefront in Global Nuclear Fusion Race
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
Surging AI Startup Valuations Fuel Bubble Concerns Among Top Investors
Australian Punter Archie Wilson Tears Up During Nebraska Press Conference, Sparking Conversation on Male Vulnerability
Australia Confirms U.S. Access to Upgraded Submarine Shipyard Under AUKUS Deal
“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided
Brands Confront New Dilemma as Extremists Adopt Fashion Labels
The Sydney Sweeney and Jeans Storm: “The Outcome Surpassed Our Wildest Dreams”
Erika Kirk Delivers Moving Tribute at White House as Trump Awards Charlie Presidential Medal of Freedom
British Food Influencer ‘Big John’ Detained in Australia After Visa Dispute
ScamBodia: The Chinese Fraud Empire Shielded by Cambodia’s Ruling Elite
French PM Suspends Macron’s Pension Reform Until After 2027 in Bid to Stabilize Government
Orange, Bouygues and Free Make €17 Billion Bid for Drahi’s Altice France Telecom Assets
Dutch Government Seizes Chipmaker After U.S. Presses for Removal of Chinese CEO
×