We took note of the statement last night by the Fijian Government that it has closed borders to all foreign nationals who have been in China within 14 days of their intended travel to Fiji. We hope that the Fijian Government should minimize the negative impact on the movement of people as much as possible.

We wish to stress that the Chinese government and people are making every effort to fight the outbreak of the novel coronavirus. We have taken the most comprehensive and rigorous containment and mitigation measures, and many of them go well beyond the requirements of the International Health Regulations (2005). By doing so, China is not only protecting the health of its people, but also that of people around the world, including Fiji.

Such efforts are fully recognized by many governments as well as the WHO. At the briefing on the novel coronavirus outbreak, the WHO stated that it continues to have confidence in China’s capacity to control the outbreak. There is no reason for measures that necessarily interfere with international travel and trade. WHO doesn’t recommend limiting trade and movement. The Chinese side hopes that the other countries will respect this clear recommendation.

To address transnational public health challenges in this era of globalization, we need to stay objective and rational, and step up communication and coordination, and that all should play a constructive role, because it is in the best and long-term interests of all sides. That’s what we should all keep in mind.