June 3, 2003 © New York University. All Rights Reserved. Will SARS be the catalyst for change in China? By Jing-dong Yuan MONTEREY, Calif. – The outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, in China and the government’s initial attempt to hush the incident have already proved fatal in public health, economic and political terms. Over 5,000 cases and close to 300 deaths have been reported so far and the virus, which has yet to show sign of being contained, is exerting tremendous pressure on China’s public health system. The Chinese government’s handling of the SARS outbreak at the beginning was characteristic of communist systems: cover-up or under-reporting; misinformation; and complete media blackout. The first case of Severe Acute Respiratory Sickness reportedly occurred in the southern province of Guangdong last November, but until early April, Chinese health authorities continued to downplay the seriousness of the epidemic or claim it was under control. Since the magnitude of the problem and the cover-up gained international attention, China’s economy — most notably the tourist industry — has taken a severe hit. But the greatest casualty has been the Chinese government’s credibility at home and abroad. China’s new leaders may well have learned valuable lessons from the messy mishandling of the SARS outbreak. First, in the era of instant global communication, cover-ups become almost impossible. While state-controlled media may tamely follow government orders, the proliferation of Internet and other new high-tech information sources signal an end to government chances of remaining the sole provider of information — or even the most listened-to source. Second, globalization means that diseases and epidemics no longer can be treated as strictly national problems. Nowadays, inattention ensures the rapid global spread of epidemics. On the positive side, diagnosis and rapid treatment benefits from international cooperation. But this requires a higher level of transparency and an effort to inform, consult with and cooperate in timely measures — none of which authoritarian governments do easily or well. Third, Beijing’s mishandling of the SARS outbreak appears to expose its incompetence in crisis management. Worse still, it could be seen as reflecting the preoccupation of government officials with stability instead of sincere concerns over the wellbeing of the people. Newly installed Chinese leaders Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao are facing a serious crisis just a month after taking office. But in Chinese, “crisis” means both “danger” and “opportunity.” Will SARS become the catalyst for change in China? The new government is already responding, having sacked the health minister and Beijing’s mayor to restore public confidence in government. It can be argued that Zhang Wenkang and Meng Xuenong are simply scapegoats, but their ouster sends a message to China’s bureaucrats that those in charge better take this matter more seriously. Beijing’s new leaders are responding rapidly on several fronts, introducing a greater degree of transparency, instituting daily briefings on the status of the epidemic, introducing quarantine measures and allocating more money to deal with the crisis. China is now working far more closely with the World Health Organization, and, as a further step at international damage control, Premier Wen Jiabao assured China’s complete cooperation when he met with his counterparts at the ASEAN summit on SARS in Bangkok. But any real change requires even bolder actions and SARS presents the new Chinese leadership with a rare opportunity for change. This should include a greater level of transparency and media freedom, both essential elements of modern society. Cover-ups and misinformation only undermine government credibility. In reality, the two sacked officials merely acted the way they were supposed to in a political system where official appointees are accountable to their patrons instead of being judged by how they carry out their responsibilities. Political reform will be the essential corrective measure if China is to curtail or prevent similar behavior in the future. Beijing’s new leaders also need to think about crisis management, and then develop the necessary infrastructure. A government that merely reacts cannot be expected to perform its pubic service functions. Related to that, China’s public health system must also be strengthened by ensuring more even distribution of funds and training. Raising the general level of medical care is the only way to successfully deal with epidemic breakouts. SARS has put China and its new leaders on the spot. Having made mistakes at the beginning, the government is gradually responding with more open and appropriate measures. This could provide the catalyst for change, and bold measures. The coming months will tell if the SARS crisis turned out to be the spark for real change for the better in China. ABOUT THE WRITER Jing-dong Yuan is a senior research associate at the Center for Nonproliferation Studies, Monterey Institute of International Studies in Calif.   © 2000 New York University. All Rights Reserved. The Global Beat Syndicate, a service of New York University's Center for War, Peace, and the News Media, provides editors with commentary and perspective articles on critical global issues from contributors around the world. For more information, check out http://www.nyu.edu/globalbeat/syndicate/. Home | About | Archives | Advisors | Staff