Eroni Duaibe poses for a photo in Suva, Fiji, Sept. 8, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhang Yongxing)
by Zhang Yongxing
SUVA, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- A major contributing factor to the successful containment of COVID-19 is China's governing system that are people focused and many countries can learn from China that has set a world standard for dealing with such pandemic, a Fijian student has said.
In an interview with Xinhua, Eroni Duaibe, a 42-year-old Fijian student studying in Wuhan, capital city of China's Hubei province, said that the successful containment of the pandemic was only possible through a governance system that people focused and sought to preserve the livelihood of its people.
"I would like to highlight certain aspects of China's fight against the virus that many other countries can learn from. A major contributing factor to the successful containment of the virus was the governing system that China has," said the student.
China's central government, according to the Fijian, the People's Liberation Army, the provincial governments, the municipalities and communities were all people centric.
"There is much care and concern for the people. What I experience first-hand was a genuine desire towards the welfare and the wellbeing of the people and those (like us)that have become temporary residents in China," he said.
Duaibe started his PhD study in China in September, 2018 at the Wuhan-based Central China Normal University. He returned to Fiji for a holiday. Like most of his fellow Fijian students, he, along with his wife, decided to stay in Wuhan after the outbreak early this year because they have confidence in the measures to be taken by China to fight the virus.
"We had a lot of confidence that the measures taken by the Chinese government to combat and contain the virus were workable and would provide solutions to the problem we faced. And the best of the best medical officials in China were in Wuhan at that time and that gave us confidence that if we got infected, we were sure to access the best medical services in the world," he said.
"In total honesty, I am extremely impressed with how the Chinese government dealt with the pandemic and was able to contain the spread of COVID-19."
The measures that the Chinese government took were unprecedented and were based on trial and error, he said.
"Given the fact that the new unseen enemy presented a new set of challenges changed the nature of how preventative measures were implemented. With the uncertainties of the virus and the threats it presented, the Chinese government continuously assessed policies and amended them whenever they saw a need. These measures were sure to play a pivotal role in controlling the spread of the virus."
He detailed that people in China willingly adhered to the measures implemented by the municipalities, provincial governments and central government. Even before the complete lockdown was implemented in Wuhan, citizens volunteered to stay indoors and self-restrict their movements.
"The virus has brought about a different aspect of warfare where we are fighting an unseen enemy. This war has caused a lot of causalities. It is the responsibility of the nation to provide a safe environment for its citizens to live in. I am totally convinced that China was able to achieve this through the implementation of such preventative measures that upheld the right to stay alive."
From his point of view, the pandemic has also brought about a lot of marvelous things that "we can only dream of in normal circumstances. People were more compassionate, more caring, more communal and more so a good side of humanity was portrayed."
"All I can say is that we were in a time where challenges were new and authorities were inundated with various ways or solutions to counter the rapid spread of the virus. Wuhan was experiencing this pandemic for the very first time and the university's response in keeping its students safe was commendable," he said.
"With Wuhan being virus free, I have tremendous praise for the community that I live in, the Wuhan municipality, the provincial government, the central government and more importantly the Chinese people. I commend the resilience of the people, their resourcefulness and the genuine care and concern for the wellbeing for others. China's response to COVID-19 has set the benchmark on how we deal with a pandemic of such magnitude."
As for China's assistance for the South Pacific island nations including Fiji in fighting against the virus, he said that China has done a lot for the South Pacific region that included the donation of medical supplies and the virtual conferences to share its experience in fighting the virus with the region.
"I believe that China has done a lot for the South Pacific region. The provisions of masks personal protective equipments (PPEs) and ventilators have been very helpful for these small Pacific island nations. All we can do for now is to learn from China's experience and continue to be vigilant in ensuring the maintenance of public health."
Duaibe emphasized that he now has a fresh impression about China, saying that this pandemic once again has brought to light the ability for China to survive in a bad situation. Its ability to halt its economic activities to ensure containment is truly commendable. I now see China in a totally different light. The mention of China brings new hope, new understanding of diplomacy, new approach to trade and more so a new understanding on how life is lived in general."
