China’s New Biosecurity Law to Improve Disease and Virus Outbreak Response

BEIJING, KOMPAS.com – China’s biosecurity law was recently passed which seeks to improve its response to new virus and disease outbreaks.

The new law was approved by lawmakers on Saturday, and the measures will take effect from April 15 next year.

The government is not only aiming to better handle future new viruses and disease outbreaks in China, it is aiming to also protect whistleblowers.

Read also: Covid-19 Vaccine from China Will Cost Around $13, Says Indonesia’s Bio Farma

China’s new biosecurity law comes following a cascade of criticism over its coronavirus response and accusations of an early cover-up.

The new biosecurity law in China flags the right to report "acts that endanger biosecurity" and calls for risk prevention systems, ranging from active monitoring to emergency plans.

"Any work unit or individual has the right to report acts that endanger biosecurity," the regulation said.

"When a report is required according to the law, no work unit or individual shall conceal (it)... or hinder others from making a report," it added on infectious diseases and epidemics.

China's approval of the law comes in the face of Western criticism on the coronavirus, over accusations that it covered up the initial outbreak and silenced early whistleblowers.

Read also: Negative Views of China Soar in Advanced Economies: Survey

But China has been trying to reshape this narrative, with authorities seeking instead to model the country as a vanguard in the coronavirus pandemic fight.

Although doctor Li Wenliang who alerted colleagues to the new coronavirus in late December was at first reprimanded, a national outpouring of grief and anger over his death prompted Beijing to redirect criticism to local officials and subsequently paint him as a hero.

President Xi Jinping in February raised the need to speed up establishing the biosecurity law, urging for reforms of mechanisms to prevent major disease outbreaks.

Under the new law, those who conceal information, omit making reports or prevent others from reporting infectious diseases, such as new viruses, could be given warnings or suspended.

The biosecurity law in China also calls for systems including to regularly monitor biosafety risks, and to trace the origins of incidents.