On February 25th, Consul General Dong Zhihua participated 2020 Economic and Political Overview (EPO) Forum hosted by Committee for Economic Development of Australia(CEDA). Consul General Dong Zhihua was joined by Hon. Governor Kim Beazley, American Consul General David Gainer and Ms. Kirsty Packer, Head of Investment (WA), British Consulate in Perth in a panel discussion focusing on “the Role of WA on the World Stage ”, moderated by Mr. Kevin Brown, CEO of Perth Airport.
Consul General Dong Zhihua highlighted the main messages in President Xi Jinping’s important speech on February 23, which stressed unremitting efforts in the prevention and control of the COVID-19 epidemic and coordination in advancing economic and social development. She emphasized that after relentless hard efforts, the epidemic situations in China kept moving in a positive direction with 24 out of total 31 provincial regions in China reporting no new infections on 23 Feb and many provinces having downgraded emergency response levels. Presently, the epidemic prevention and control was still at the most critical stage, Chinese governments at all levels would remain vigilant and make unremitting efforts. No victory should be lightly announced until there is a complete win. At the same time, orderly resumption of work and production would be pressed forward in a precise manner so as to promote the healthy social economical development.
Dong Zhihua stressed that the COVID-19 outbreak would unavoidably cast significant impacts on Chinese economy and society, but the sound long-term fundamentals of the Chinese economy have not changed. The impact of the epidemic is short-term and generally controllable. 2020 is the last year of the “Thirteenth Five-Year Plan”, during which a final push will be made to complete the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects. The Chinese government will step up policy adjustments to fully release China’s great development potentials and make every effort to achieve this year’s economic and social development goals.