Documentary: CHINA’S BATTLE AGAINST COVID-19
So far, the COVID-19 pandemic has spread to all continents except Antarctica. Faced with such an unprecedented scale, from London to New York, from Tokyo to Singapore, from Beijing to Paris, men and women around the world are thinking profoundly and discuss extensively: will humans beat the global pandemic? How can we draw on experience and learn lessons from the outbreak?
This series has interviews with people who have participated in or keenly observed China’s fight against COVID-19, including doctors, volunteers and scientists who have committed to protecting people from the virus, for example, a Wuhan citizen who has self-quarantined at home for months and an indefatigable entrepreneur who has managed in transporting medical supplies globally. Prominent political scholar, economic scholar, and artist are also included. Although they have different experiences with the outbreak, they all seek to answer the questions addressed in the beginning, from the story about China’s battle against COVID-19.
EP1: The New Enemy of Mankind
So far, seven outbreaks of coronavirus have been confirmed globally. As late as December 2019, humans have encountered a new coronavirus that has never been found in humans body. Our knowledge of this virus is still sketchy. It has been named SARS-CoV-2.
This episode has interviews with three professionals including Dr. Amesh Adalja, senior scholar at Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security, Dr. John Olson, director of education at the Cold Spring Harbor Asia DNA Learning Center, and Dr. Ammar Ai-baadani, a Yemeni doctor working at Chouzhou Hospital in Yiwu, Zhejiang Province. They elaborate on multiple topics including the origin of the novel coronavirus, the effects of China's prevention and control work of the epidemic, and their confidence in human beings’ winning the fight.
EP2: Action Speaks Louder than Words
In just two months, the COVID-19 outbreak spread from Wuhan to other provinces in China, becoming a major public health emergency with the fastest transmission speed, the widest infection scope and the greatest difficulty in prevention and control since the establishment of the People's Republic of China. The sudden outbreak of the COVID-19 put this system to the toughest test, as well as China’s governance system.
This episode has interviews with three scholars including Dr. Lan Xue, Dean of Schwarzman College at Tsinghua University, He Yafei, former Deputy Foreign Minister of the People's Republic of China, and Dr. Martin Jacques, senior fellow at Cambridge University. They talk about the experience and lessons that Chinese disease control system have obtained from China’s battle against the COVID-19. They also examine the real performance of China’s governance system handling the crisis, from various perspectives.
EP3: This Is Wuhan
In order to contain the spread of COVID-19, from 10 am on January 23rd, 2020, Wuhan suspended the operation of city buses and subways, closed its airports and train stations. Citizens were asked to stay at home. Since then, other cities in Hubei Province have taken similar measures. What happened in Wuhan? What is happening to the citizens of Wuhan?
This episode has interviews with three witnesses of the Wuhan “lockdown” including Dr. Tang Tiantian, member of a medical assistance team from Guangdong Province to support Wuhan, Dr. Sara Platto, associate professor at Jianghan University with eight years of residence in Wuhan, and Jean-Franois maljean, a Belgain pianist. Dr. Tang and Dr. Platto describe the story of Wuhan after the “lockdown” based on their experiences. Jean-Franois maljean tells the story behind the song Chime of the Dawn Bells, which was specially composed on behalf of Wuhan, hoping to appeal to people all over the world to fight side by side.
EP4: United We Stand
The invisible virus spread from one country to another country in an unstoppable manner. So far, COVID-19 outbreak has spread to all continents except Antarctica. Obviously, China is not the only victim of this disaster. What will humans do when this century plague sweeps the globe? Facing the virus, the common enemy of humans, somebody chose to complain, hate and ignore everything, while others chose to fight together.
This episode has interviews with people working in various fields including Neil Bush, Chairman of the George Herbert Walker Bush Foundation for U.S.-China Relations, Glele Aho Letonhan, a Beninese medical intern at Jinxian People’s Hospital in Jiangxi Province, and Marianne Fredericks, Common Councilman in the City of London. They call for unity among nations in the fight against COVID-19, regardless of nationality, race or color.
EP5: After the Epidemic Outbreak
From London to New York, from Tokyo to Singapore, from Beijing to Paris, all economic activities have been weakened by the sudden outbreak of COVID-19. This is not only a reminiscence of the Black Death that swept in the European continent in the middle of the 14th century, or the plague of the 17th century in London. It is feared that, like dominoes, Covid-19 will not only slow down the pace of the global economic recovery, but also destroy globalization.
This episode has interviews with economic leaders including Wang Haimin, Vice President of the COSCO SHIPPING Corporation, Dr. David Gosset, founder of China-Europe Forum, and Dr. Ian Goldin, former Vice President of the World Bank. They argue that COVID-19 outbreak will impact Chinese and global economy, which will be a temporary phenomenon, and will not affect the long-term trend of global economic development.
