Li Bin:
Friends from the media, good morning. Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has always put protecting the people and human life above everything else. By bearing in mind the big picture, taking science-based actions, and following objective laws, the CPC Central Committee has consistently adhered to the overall strategy of "preventing inbound cases and domestic resurgence" and carrying out the general policy of dynamic zero-COVID. Our practices on pandemic prevention and control over the past two years and more have proven that the dynamic zero-COVID approach, namely controlling and treating every confirmed case once detected, protected the health and safety of the people to the greatest extent possible and minimized the pandemic's impact on the national economic and social development. This is a correct approach with effective results and the best means to secure victory in China's anti-pandemic fight.
Since the end of February this year, given the spread of highly contagious and stealthy Omicron sub-variant, China has seen frequent flare-ups of COVID-19 cases in multiple places, with a large swathe of areas affected. Pandemic prevention and control efforts have faced the most daunting challenge since the pandemic broke out in Wuhan. In response, we have been unswervingly carrying out the dynamic zero-COVID policy. We have immediately coordinated resources concerning nucleic acid tests, epidemiological investigation, case transfer, quarantine, and treatment and worked to contain the spread of the pandemic to the greatest extent possible. Cluster infections in Jilin province and many other places have been effectively contained, and the dynamic zero-COVID approach has achieved initial success in Shanghai. The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in China has seen a fluctuating downward trend.
We are facing a pandemic of a scale unseen in a century. The baseline level of COVID-19 cases worldwide is still very high, and new COVID variants continue to develop. We are still trying to understand the coronavirus and the pandemic, and the risks and threats posed by COVID-19 still exist. China is a highly populous country with considerable regional differences and inadequate medical resources. Relaxing prevention and control measures will create surging COVID-19 infections in a short period of time, which can soon lead to a significant number of severe and death cases. This will put an overwhelming strain on our medical resources and pose a severe threat to the life and health of the vulnerable group, such as patients with underlying medical conditions, senior citizens, children, and pregnant women. The stable development of China's economy and society will also be severely affected.
Since the pandemic broke out, China was one of the first countries to successfully contain the spread of COVID-19, resume work and production, and realize positive economic growth among major economies worldwide. A stable epidemic situation has offered China the most favorable environment to secure its world-leading economic growth and pandemic prevention position. Ensuring a coordinated national response and carrying out localized and stringent anti-pandemic measures is the most cost-efficient way. This makes sure that people in most regions in China can enjoy everyday life and work.
From the anti-pandemic fight in Wuhan and the nationwide routine COVID-19 control to the targeted and whole-process prevention and control of Delta and Omicron variants, China has always been upholding the general policy of dynamic zero-COVID approach and controlling and treating every confirmed case once detected. Our practices have proven that the dynamic zero-COVID approach is the best choice currently to coordinate pandemic prevention and control with social and economic development. This approach is a bottom line that China must safeguard for pandemic prevention and control.
The dynamic zero-COVID policy does not indicate absolute "zero infection." Facing the challenges posed by COVID-19 variants such as Omicron, we cannot eliminate domestic resurgence. However, China has summarized a set of effective prevention and control measures from our practices. We optimize these measures according to the emerging coronavirus variants and new pandemic conditions. We will firmly achieve unity in thinking and action to carry out anti-pandemic measures further, consolidate preventive efforts and enhance our implementation capacity. We will also ensure that local authorities, administrative bodies, employers, and individuals have taken their respective responsibilities in pandemic prevention and control. When domestic resurgence happens, we can confidently take swift actions and precise and comprehensive measures to clear all COVID-19 cases in the shortest period of time and realize the most effective containment with the most negligible costs.
That is all the essential information I have for you. Now my colleagues and I are ready to take questions. Thank you.
