The coronavirus outbreak that began in the Chinese city of Wuhan has spread across the country and beyond its borders, leaving governments at all levels in China scrambling to limit further person-to-person transmission of the virus, now known as COVID-19.

In the long-term the outbreak will not alter the fundamentals of the Chinese economy. But actions are needed now to reduce risks, as ripple effects through supply chains can be felt around the globe.

The latest accusation adds to a long list of US charges against Huawei .

Just when the daily number of newly confirmed COVID-2019 coronavirus cases seemed to have levelled off in China, it has an unexpected steep jump, from 2,015 to 15,152 on 12 February, or more than 750%. The overwhelming bulk of the increase came from the Province of Hubei, where the number of newly confirmed cases increased from 1,638 to 14,840 on 12 February.

Just five days before the Chinese New Year, the authorities in Beijing finally declared the coronavirus epidemic that originated in Wuhan to be a major public health emergency.

The rapid spread of false information about the novel coronavirus has been noted both inside and outside of China since the outbreak in Wuhan in December. It resulted in some panic and even fostered anti-Chinese sentiment in a few countries.

It is not the end of the world. The plague will soon pass, and when it does, supply chains will reconnect, production will resume and everything will return to normal.

Washington must be careful in assessing the possible impacts of the novel coronavirus outbreak -- particularly in the implemenation of the phase one trade deal. The U.S. needs to give China a certain degree of flexibility.

The coronavirus crisis represents the single biggest challenge for Xi Jinping since he became general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in 2012.

While much remains unknown of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus, Beijing’s response to the public health crisis can be characterized by a lack of decisive action at the crucial initial stage of the outbreak, followed by aggressive corrective measures.