He said, "Through the fight against SARS, we have come to realize that the building of an emergency system dealing with unexpected public health incidents must be speeded up, including a disease information network system, emergency prevention and control system, and emergency ambulance system. As a person engaged in science and technology, I think that, in order to build an emergency system dealing with unexpected public health incidents, the establishment of a relevant scientific and technological support system is very important. This should include the following aspects: the construction of platforms with relevant test conditions including the state biological safety protection laboratory research network. When encountering problems, we can, in parallel, conduct the research through a central network instead of depending on the judgments of individual scientists. Besides, the system also includes a test analysis technological platform, medicine vaccine and diagnosis reagent research and development platform, biological protection platform, equipment test and development platform, research, information exchange and resource-sharing platform."

Li told the press that the Ministry of Science and Technology has included the undertaking in its work program, regarding it as a mid- to long-term strategy. To work on such a platform, the key lies in a research team and organizational system capable of giving instance response, he said.

According to Li, the platform can undertake the tasks of research and development and academic research in related fields during ordinary times. When an emergency occurs, it will be subject to unified command and maneuvers by the state for instant action and to unconditionally carry through various urgent tasks assigned by the state.

(China.org.cn by Chen Qiuping and Li Jingrong June 26, 2003)