On June 2nd, Mr. Wang Qingxian, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Shandong Committee, Secretary of the CPC Qingdao Committee attended the Expert Webinar of the 2nd conference of the Global Health Forum of Boao Forum for Asia, elaborating on his views about human’s right to live in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. The main content of the speech is as follows:

As COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc around the world, we gather online for this webinar at the invitation of the Global Health Forum of Boao Forum for Asia, to exchange our thoughts and practices of disease control. The conference embodies the spirit of fraternity and a sense of moral responsibility.

The COVID-19 pandemic has made us realize, more clearly than ever, that human beings live in a community with a shared future. Nobody in the world can be isolated from this situation, regardless of one’s nationality, faith, skin color and the language one speaks. Because virus won’t humor anyone for their waywardness or arrogance.

In the same vein, COVID-19 makes us think more and deeper about the relationship between man and nature, and between people and the world. Our ability to understand the world may have increased greatly thanks to the advancement of science and technology. Yet still that is far too limited compared with the limitlessness of universe. If humankind are to survive and develop in the vast expanse of the universe, we must first and foremost view it in awe as we still know so little about it. On the one hand, we haven’t yet found the solutions to many existing challenges that the human society has encountered as it evolves; on the other hand, we haven’t even realized that some problems are already there. But they are there, and they are something we couldn’t afford to turn a blind eye to. They may concern the development of humankind. They may exist within one country or nation, or among different countries and nations. They sometimes bear on the connections between human and the nature or universe. To my understanding, the idea of building a community with a shared future for mankind proposed by the Chinese state leader is about not only the entire human race, but also the relationship between mankind and the universe.

Countries differ in their measures to deal with COVID-19, which reflect their different perceptions of the value of life. In China, it is put front and center. When it comes to human rights, China prioritizes the right to live. Everyone is equal in enjoying the right to live regardless of their gender, age or where they are from. Protecting the life of the young people may matter much to the future. But only if we also protect the life of the elderly can the young stay hopeful for the future. Thanks to its unique institutional advantages and respect for the right of survival of all people, China has effectively and swiftly brought the disease under control and people’s work and life back on track. It is fair to say that, with all the different approaches of various countries and their values thus revealed, the Chinese philosophy of putting people first and advocating “equality of life” and “life comes first” is worthy of respect from the whole world.

Recently, I have been thinking about this: China has managed to effectively contain the raging COVID-19 in a short time despite the fact that it is a developing country with a population of 1.4 billion where there is still much to desire in its medical system and resources. How incredible that is and what a great contribution China has made to the world! I believe that will be more clearly seen someday in the future when we have gone through the current phase of confusion.

At a forum centered on global health, we are talking about the health of mankind. But first, we have to figure out what the health of mankind really means. In my opinion, it not only is an issue of medical science but also concerns ethics of life.

At last, I wish the Webinar a complete success. And I wish an early end to this pandemic so that we can meet in Qingdao soon!