Editor's note: The Asian Political Parties Online Conference on Forging Synergy against COVID-19 was concluded on April 3, with an initiative being launched to enhance cooperation in coping with the pandemic. The following is the full text of the initiative.

Asian Political Parties On-Line Conference: Initiative

We, leaders and representatives from political parties of the ICAPP and organizations participated in the Asian Political Parties On-Line Conference on Forging Synergy against Covid-19 with the theme "Synergy & Cooperation against Covid-19: Asian Political Parties at Work", co-hosted by the Secretariat of the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP) and the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (IDCPC) from March 30 to April 3, 2020.

We commend the Secretariat of the ICAPP and the IDCPC for timely and innovatively organizing this online Conference, providing a platform for exchange and cooperation among Asian political parties. We commend the Communist Party of China, together with members of the ICAPP, for taking the initiative to share epidemic control experience and measures which will promote solidarity and cooperation between Asian countries, safeguard Asian public health security and contribute to the building of an Asian community of common health.

During the conference, political parties from different countries have participated actively by sending video or written messages, articles, questions and comments to share their experience and exchange views with each other, contributing to the fruitful results of the online conference:

The conference promoted solidarity and cooperation among Asian political parties and pooled the strength of political parties for joint response to the pandemic.We further confirmed our common goal to safeguard the life and health of people from Asia and the whole world; made clear our common direction of cooperation against COVID-19; and explored ways to share experience and help each other. We gave full play to the role of political parties in offering political impetus for the joint effort of Asian countries to contain and curb the virus.

The conference helped political parties to gain insight into different policies, measures and effects of different countries.The countries hit by the virus at the early stage have achieved notable outcomes in this fight, offering useful experience for the rest of the world. On this platform, Asian political parties shared the latest progress and their experience in controlling the disease, realizing effective information sharing and demonstrating solidarity among Asian political parties who stand as good friends through both tough times and times of enjoy.

A broad consensus was reached by Asian political parties that they should take an active part in regional and international cooperation against COVID-19.We are unanimous in our view that Asian political parties should actively promote cooperation and experience-sharing on medicine and technology as well as epidemic control between governments in Asia so as to improve their respective research and treatment capacity. At the same time, we should also work for more exchanges and sharing of epidemic control experience between NGOs and other organizations and institutions, thus pooling efforts from all walks of life and indeed the international community to cope with this public health emergency. Besides, we should make full use of the multi-lateral platform of the ICAPP and amplify the synergy effect created by extensive international cooperation against COVID-19 among countries and political parties.

A broad consensus was reached by Asian political parties that they would encourage their governments to promote bilateral and multilateral trade.The pandemic has made negative impact on the economy in Asia and the world. Countries walking out from the shadow of the pandemic have taken timely measures to ensure the timely resumption of production and the normal operation of economy, providing strong support for the stability and security of global industrial chain. Asian political parties should appeal to their governments to take determined and effective measures to strengthen regional and international trade and cooperation and mitigate the epidemic's negative impact on the economy. We should work for an earlier resumption of exchanges and cooperation and restore the Asian economy back on track when the epidemic is under effective control.

A broad consensus was reached by Asian political parties that they should foster accurate public opinion for trust.Political parties are responsible for representing and guides public opinion. Asian political parties are recommended to enhance trust and support of the public opinion in their own countries to help the people develop a scientific outlook on COVID-19, thus avoiding panic and pooling the strength from the media and the public for fighting the epidemic. At the same time, we should resolutely oppose politicization and stigmatization of the virus and provide unbiased information and effective practice for public opinion in this regard.

We realized that the COVID-19 pandemic is spreading worldwide, posing enormous threats to life and health and bringing formidable challenge to global public health security. At such a moment, it is imperative for the international community to strengthen trust, act with unity and work together in a collective response. We must comprehensively step up international cooperation and foster greater synergy so that humanity as one could win the battle against this grave infectious disease.

Faced with this unprecedented situation, we, political parties tasked with the weighty responsibility of improving people's wellbeing, promoting national development and safeguarding peace and stability of Asia, hereby make our joint appeal as follows:

I. We extend our deep sympathies and solicitude to those who are suffering from pain and under life threat of COVID-19 as well as the bereaved families of victims. We also pay our loftiest tribute to all the people, health workers in particular, who devote themselves to saving lives and protecting people's health. Our profound condolences go to those who have lost loved ones, unfortunately passed away in the outbreak.

II. We recognize that if the COVID-19 outbreak could not be effectively contained in a prompt manner, it would inflict even greater harm to the lives, safety and health of even more people, and exert a severe impact on the economic and social development of most countries as well as international exchanges and cooperation. We call on Asian countries to put the lives, safety and health of the people first and take resolute and forceful measures to put an end to the spread of the epidemic.

III. We call on countries to be resolute in fighting an all-out global war against the COVID-19 outbreak. Asian countries must move swiftly to stem the spread of the virus. We encourage Asian countries to strengthen the sharing of experience and medical cooperation in containing the outbreak, including joint research and development of specific medicine and vaccine. We call for the provision of material, technical and other support to developing countries and countries in need. Let the sunlight of cooperation disperse the darkness of the epidemic.

IV. We advocate making effective international response for control and treatment. We are aware that virus respects no borders and no country can respond to the challenges alone in the face of the outbreak. Asian countries must enhance their consciousness of a shared future for mankind and render each other mutual support and help in an even more proactive manner as more difficult situation arises. To this end, closer international cooperation will enable us to defeat the virus, the humanity's common enemy. All countries must work together to build an unprecedented global network of control and treatment. We need to explore the establishment of a regional emergency liaison mechanism to enable quicker response to public health emergencies.

V. We need to support international organizations in playing their roles. The pandemic has laid bare the need for Asian countries to further foster a global governance outlook of achieving shared growth through discussion and collaboration. We support the core roles of the United Nations and the World Health Organization in global health governance. We call upon the ICAPP to play the role in communication and coordination and strengthen dialogue and exchanges over policies so at to build a shared future for public health.

VI. We call for enhanced international macro-economic policy coordination. The outbreak has disrupted production and demand across the globe. Countries need to step up their macro policies to counteract the negative impact and prevent the world economy from recession. We encourage Asian countries, while devoting efforts to epidemic control, to adopt an integrated approach to ensure economic and social development and honor their commitment to maintain people's living standards and social progress. In accordance with the recommendations of the World Health Organization, countries are also encouraged to maintain appropriate level of international exchanges, and the flow of trade, capital and personnel worldwide, in particular to facilitate the cross-border transportation of urgently needed medical equipment and protective materials for epidemic prevention.

VII. We also urge all national governments particularly those in the Asian region to work together, with the WHO and UN, and with its nation's stakeholders such as parliaments, political parties, the private sector, non-governmental organizations, local health organizations and professionals, academicians/ scholars, the press and social media, as well as to garner support, mobilize funds ,strengthen solidarity, and find the best way to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on the security of people's livelihoods and health, particularly those who are to be in marginalized and vulnerable groups including migrants and displaced people.

Facing a probable economic recession as a result of COVID-19, we should encourage our national government to take emergency concrete actions in fiscal and non-fiscal policy including the easing of taxes and incentives for the private sector, incentives and subsidies for micro-enterprises and small enterprises, to ensure the sustained operation of the economic and social sectors; public health, education, industry, trade, and services together with banking, finance, production, distribution, connectivity, and transportation to safeguard the livelihoods of the people, in particular those in marginalized vulnerable groups.

VIII. We call for science-based professional discussion on issues like epidemic prevention measures and the origin of virus. We strongly oppose politicization of public health issues and stigmatization of other countries in the name of epidemic control. We embrace a spirit of cooperation, refraining from any discriminatory comments and practices so that we can enhance cooperation among countries to contain the epidemic.

IX. We encourage Asian countries to make contingency plans and strategies to combat the epidemic in light of their specific national conditions, with equal emphasis on containing further spread of the epidemic and on patient treatment. Meanwhile, modern science and technology must be applied to the full to ensure the best possible results as speedily as possible.

X. We call on countries to safeguard the safety and legitimate rights and interests of foreign nationals and residents, in particular overseas students, treating them as native citizens with good care to protect their wellbeing. We call on the general public of Asian countries to comply with epidemic prevention and mitigation measures with due sense of social responsibility. We encourage Asian countries to fully leverage the strength of non-governmental organizations and volunteers with a view to unleashing the power of all social sectors to combat the epidemic.

Asian political parties, including member parties of the ICAPP undertake to maintain close communication under the unusual circumstances of epidemic outbreak, and ensure better performance of the due role of political guidance for the purpose of injecting political energy to the global fight against the outbreak. We firmly hope that all current difficulties will be temporary, just as the sunlight shall eventually shine after each storm. So long as the international community makes concerted efforts with confidence and resolve and takes a science-based and targeted approach, it shall definitely win the final victory in global campaign against the epidemic.

Finally, we would like to extend heartfelt thanks to the ICAPP Secretariat and the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (IDCPC), members of the ICAPP Standing Committee for their tireless efforts for the successful holding of the Asian Political Parties On-Line Conference: Forging Synergy against COVID-19.

The article was published at the official site of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (IDCPC) and was reprinted by China.org.cn

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