Dismantling supply chains that took years, or even decades, to build is an expensive and time-consuming proposition. Many factors must be taken into account, including product quality, price and the reliability of prospective new channels.

To overcome challenges, several steps must be taken, starting with an update of an outmoded health security concept characterized by the “panic-neglect” cycle, as well as sharing experience so the world doesn’t have to start from scratch in every crisis.

US-China economic and technology relations are in an unexpected flux since the outbreak of the coronavirus.

As the Trump White House has sought to politicize the virus outbreaks, vital time has been lost and collateral damage is likely to haunt the administration.

Cooperation is required if supply chain security is to be assured in the face of a worldwide health threat. No country can afford to be an outsider. Attempts by some to go it alone pose a huge challenge to the spirit needed to resolve the problem.

While the timing of the coronavirus outbreak is awkward, given the China-bashing realities of an election year in the United States, bilateral and global cooperation remain the only answer.

Cooperation is needed now more than ever. Political stereotypes should be abandoned, joint research should be fostered and critical supply chains should be protected.

Just as the COVID-2019 epidemic appears to be under control in China, new and serious outbreaks have occurred in South Korea, Italy, Japan, Iran and elsewhere. The virus seems to be ubiquitous and unstoppable. While I am hopeful that the epidemic in China will be over by the end of March, I begin to worry about the possibility of overseas visitors to China bringing the COVID-2019 virus back, starting another episode of the epidemic again. China cannot afford to have its hard-won and costly victory over the COVID-2019 virus annulled by a few infected visitors from abroad.

Last October, the 2019 Global Health Security Report included a stark warning: “National health security is fundamentally weak around the world. No country is fully prepared for epidemics or pandemics, and every country has important gaps to address.” Just a couple of months later, a new coronavirus emerged in Wuhan, China – and quickly demonstrated the accuracy of the report’s assessment.

Globalization offers context for the identity politics that grips political life everywhere. China knows that that balancing market efficacy and social justice is essential.