Opinion | Coronavirus: from helping firms exit China to sourcing Chinese medical supplies for US states, here’s what I learned

China made several initial missteps in the pandemic but quickly adapted to contain the spread of the coronavirus

Despite moves to reduce dependence on China, it remains the producer of last resort for medical equipment worldwide in this crisis

Reading Time:4 minutes

Employees assemble ventilators at a plant of Beijing Aeonmed Co, an anaesthesia and respiratory medical equipment enterprise, in Yanjiao, a town of north China's Hebei Province, March 25, 2020. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 8:00pm, 11 Apr 2020Updated: 8:15pm, 11 Apr 2020

Just six weeks ago, I was interviewed by the South China Morning Post and said that the black swan of the novel coronavirus would likely push both the Chinese and American economies into recession.

It looks like I may have been correct only about the second part of that prediction. The Chinese economy may well take a further hit this year, but Beijing's approach to tackling the virus has been in stark contrast to Washington, with the United States failing to learn from other countries more advanced in their battle against the virus, led by China.

My business helps companies set up and manage operations around Asia, with much of the work taking place in China. From this vantage point, I have seen the coronavirus affect both sides and observed how markedly the situation has changed.

I have also seen how the US ignored the clear signs from Asian countries of the devastation this pandemic would have and now it is paying a severe economic price.

Of our firm’s eight offices in Asia and one in California, the only one open is in Shanghai. The rest are either on mandatory lockdown or have instituted a work from home policy at the recommendation of the local government.

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