The administration of Chinese President Xi Jinping is responsible for the worldwide spread of the new coronavirus infections. It must take all possible measures to overcome the situation.
China has decided to postpone a session of the National People's Congress (NPC), initially scheduled to open on March 5, citing the need to respond to the spread of the virus. Since 1978, the NPC congress has been held every year, and the opening in March of an NPC session has been made a regular event since 1985. Given this, the latest change in the NPC's schedule is extremely unusual.
A new schedule for the annual meeting has not been given, either. This seems to show that China is finding it difficult to foresee how soon the situation can be resolved. Xi has expressed a harsh view of the situation, describing it as the most difficult to control public health incident since the founding of the People's Republic of China.
Prescribed as "the highest state organ of power" under the Chinese Constitution, the NPC is granted authority to amend the constitution, enact laws and elect such figures as the president and the premier.
The NPC is an occasion in which about 3,000 delegates meet in Beijing to deliberate on such matters as growth-rate targets for gross domestic product and the national budget. This year's NPC was scheduled to confirm China's goal of realizing a "moderately prosperous society" by the end of the year and doubling its GDP, compared with the 2010 level.
However, the outbreak of the virus has caused economic activities to stagnate in China, and the country's economic growth is expected to rapidly slow down. If China cannot attain the target it has publicly vowed to deliver, the Xi administration will inevitably be dealt a blow. Delays may follow in diplomatic and domestic affairs, such as Xi's planned visit to Japan as a state guest in April.
Avoid high-handed methods
China did not send its finance minister and central bank governor to a recent meeting in Saudi Arabia of such officials from the Group of 20 major economies. It may have wanted to avoid bearing the brunt of criticism in the meeting. China's move must be called an irresponsible response.
Xi should fulfill his obligation as the leader of a major power by implementing economic and diplomatic policy measures suited to the situation.
China has been strongly urged to actively disclose information about the spread of coronavirus infections. It cannot be overlooked that the Xi administration is increasing efforts, nonetheless, to maintain surveillance on society and clamp down on free speech.
A noted Chinese legal scholar has been taken away after pointing a finger at defects in the actions taken by the authorities to deal with the situation and calling for Xi's resignation on the internet. Also missing are such people as a lawyer who continued to disseminate information from the sealed-off city of Wuhan through social media regarding the ongoing situation at medical institutions there.
An opinion piece written by an expert and published by the U.S. newspaper The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) to point out China's vulnerability was regarded as a problem by Chinese authorities, and three WSJ reporters stationed in Beijing were in effect expelled from the country.
China's Communist Party-led administration has continued to suppress dissenting opinions by citing the maintenance of public order and social stability as a pretext for its conduct. Such an approach to ruling the country has hindered the swift disclosure of information and spread the crisis. The administration must not be allowed to take foolish measures to amend flaws resulting from its own heavy-handed rule by adopting further high-handed methods.
-- This article appeared in the print version of The Yomiuri Shimbun on Feb. 26, 2020.
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