PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF

CHINA – POLICY PAPER

BACKGROUND

A pandemic in South Asia is a very serious threat. Large, densely populated

settlements, livestock living in close proximity to humans and frequent cross-border migration in many parts of
South Asia make it one of the most susceptible regions to an epidemic or pandemic. China itself has been the
point of origin for two out of the last three major flu pandemics - Asian flu in 1956 (H2N2) and the 1968 Hong
Kong flu (H3N2). China also had the majority of SARS cases during the 2003 outbreak. The risk of avian flu (H5N1,
which is enzootic in many species of Asian birds), one of the most lethal influenza strains, mutating to spread
between humans is very real. With a burgeoning urban population (16%: 1960, 58%: 2017), China acknowledges
the risk to itself and the region of a major pandemic originating from or spreading to China, and therefore makes
heath security one of its priorities.

CHINA’S RESPONSE

As a major regional economic, political and military power, China acknowledges its role in addressing the threat
of a pandemic. In 2009, China declared the pursuit of the Healthy China 2020 initiative, to provide universal
healthcare access and treatment to all of China by 2020. These healthcare reforms have led to significant
improvements in China’s healthcare infrastructure. China recognises its responsibility to global public health,
and in recent years has strengthened its surveillance systems aimed at swiftly identifying and tackling the threat
of infectious diseases. The SARS epidemic in 2003 demonstrated the ability of the Chinese central government
to command a massive mobilization of resources once its attention is focused on one particular issue. China
therefore intends to take a leadership role in tackling the crisis in South Asia and will make clear the importance
of an Asian solution to an Asian crisis.

China is suspicious of the role of predatory capitalist institutions in global health outcomes. China considers the
pharmaceutical giants, who make massive profits out of the suffering of ordinary people, as immoral. China will
use it’s diplomatic and economic power to bargain for lower prices and lesser boundaries to drug access and
strive ultimately toward a socialist solution to counteract the influence of Big Pharma.

An outbreak of a large scale would put the region under significant strain. Some countries in South Asia may be
unable to cope with the speed and scale of casualties. There is a risk that fear may spread and led to societal
collapse, causing more destruction than the pathogen ever might. China realises its higher obligation to the
continuity of human civilisation in Asia, of which it is the cradle, and is committed to maintaining the stability
and peace in the region, through whatever means necessary.

DECISION MAKING

The Chinese government will operate on 50%+1 voting system. In the case of a tie, the President will have the
casting vote.

President – The President is in charge of the values and the grand strategy of the team, and will act as the
representative of the team in open conferences.
Premier – The Premier deputises for the President when he is not present. He is in charge of all manners of
domestic policy.

Foreign Minister – The Foreign Minister is in charge of all diplomacy between other teams, and is the first
point of call for all closed diplomatic communications. The Foreign Minister is the third in precedence.

Assistant Foreign Minister – The Assistant Foreign Minister will deputise for the Foreign Minister when she is
not present. The Assistant Foreign Minister will also be the intelligence chief, and in charge of espionage and
all covert operations undertaken by the team.

Defence Minister – The Defence Minister is in charge of all matters relating to defence and the military.

Health Minister – The Health Minister is in charge of all matters relating to health care and domestic health
policy. They are responsible for health research and the actioning of health strategies.

Publicity Minister – The Publicity Minister is in charge of information semination and propaganda. They are the
public face of the team outside of diplomatic channels, and liaise with the press to give interviews and
information for the team. The Publicity Minister will work closely with all Ministers to ensure a continuity in
information and messaging.

OBJECTIVES

The Chinese government has three main objectives in this game:

 Casualty minimisation: With a population of 1.38 billion people, a major pandemic could kill millions
in China. If H5N1 (Avian flu) has killed nearly 60% of the people who have been infected, and infects
10% of the population, 82 million people in China could die. The Chinese government sets a casualty
target of less than 2% of the population (27 million), to be revised to 5% in the worst case. China will
minimise causalities through rigorous surveillance of potential cases, the early containment and
treatment of potential cases and propaganda to control information about the pandemic.
 Regional stability: A major pandemic has the clear potential to destabilise South Asia. China’s priority
is to maintain stability in the region for its own security. Breakdown in South Asia could cause an
exodus of refugees over Chinese borders, overwhelming Chinese infrastructure and increasing the
possibility of transmission among Chinese citizens. China will extend pandemic relief efforts to
countries in South Asia if necessary, which may be accompanied by military to ensure the safety of
medical staff and the compliance of the local populations.
 Leader in health & global governance: An Asian pandemic may very quickly become a global one, and
a global pandemic begs a global solution. China will use the pandemic to display to the world it’s
leading role in global governance. China is becoming a global hub for health care research and
development. China will work with other states to set up alternative global health infrastructure to
that of the World Health Organisation, of which the U.S. is the largest contributor, and the
pharmaceutical giants, who are failing to develop urgent medicines for developing countries and price
their drugs appropriately. China’s goal is to ultimately replace the neo-liberal economic model for
health governance and at the same time diminish the U.S.’s role in health & global governance.
CHINA’S FOREIGN RELA TIONS

United States of America: China’s relation to the US is complex, with both powers coming
to regular contentions over China’s attempt to control the South China Sea. Xi Jinping has a
good relationship with Trump, however, but this may just be a social understanding. Both
states have an economic relationship, being the two biggest economies in the world, however
China is weary of the US’s hegemony in the international order. Both states have mutual
interests in the areas of the proliferation of nuclear weapons and security, but both states
disagree on many political issues, including the US’s criticism of the role of democracy in
government in China. At the moment, both states are locked in a trade war, where both states
have placed tariffs on goods traded between each other. President Trump has accused China
of violating intellectual property rights, but China has argued these claims lack substantive
evidence. China does not want a trade war with any state, and considers the US a long-term
strategic partner. However, China will not accept US hostility and false accusations.

Russia: Sino-Russian relations are stable, with Russian endorsement of China’s “Silk Road”
economic project preparing both nations for prosperous relations. Russia is an important
source of military technology for China, and also for raw materials and trade. Friendly relations
with Russia is an important advantage for China, as it offsets China’s uneasy relationship with
the US. Both nations share a long border, and in a 2013 state visit to Moscow by President Xi
Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin solidified a blossoming relationship, saying both
nations were forging a special relationship. Russia and China enjoy close partnership in the
realms of the military, economics, politics and culture, and when it comes to global issues,
both nations tend to share the same stance and support each other.

India: China maintains a cordial relationship with India, but the pair are economic rivals and
have come to a number of border disputes. China maintains control over the region of Tibet
for the geostrategic advantages it would confer to India should the two come to blows – the
waterways that feed China’s agriculture come from Tibet. India is vying to become the Asian
hegemon- it has been seeking economic trade with other nations, and is aiming to secure a
seat on the UN Security Council. India does not support full membership for China in SAARC,
and has worked with third parties in the region to counter Chinese influence.

North Korea: China holds the northern border of North Korea, and maintains 70% of North
Korea’s trade. China has been committed to keeping North Korea independent and supports
its communist government, and fought on their side in the 1956 Korean war against US troops.
China is concerned about North Korea’s insistence on pursuing nuclear weapons, and has
introduced sanctions on the state including on coal and food, but is hesitant to apply sanctions
that the international community has called for, concerned of what North Korea’s collapse
might invite.

Pakistan: Pakistan and China have very strong relations and are arguably strong allies. Trade
and contacts have steadily increased over the years, such as the China–Pakistan Economic
Corridor (CPEC) which is a collection of infrastructure projects that are currently under
construction throughout Pakistan. Both countries have signed many free and bilateral trade
agreements, and China heavily invests in Pakistan, including in the development of Gwadar
Port- the country’s 3rd biggest port. Both nations share the Karakoram Highway or China-
Pakistan Friendship Highway, which extends from the Punjab province of Pakistan and
crosses into China, becoming China National Highway 314. Pakistan and China have
collaborated on everything from nuclear and space technology, to cruise missile and naval
technology, where Pakistan helped China get hold of western technology which it could
otherwise not acquire.

Southeast Asia: Beijing focuses much of its geopolitical ambitions here. China claims
indisputable sovereignty over the South China Sea, however other nations object to this claim.
China is an official observer of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, and
China is aiming to increase its partnership with the organisation. China values the growing
economic activity and strategic importance of the South Asian region, and is eager to improve
its relationship with countries in the region. A number of SAARC members have reportedly
shown their support for China to gain full membership, including Pakistan, Nepal and Sri
Lanka. China is already engaging diplomatically with some of the members of SAARC, it has
a flourishing relationship with Pakistan, and trades arms with Nepal.

Europe and the EU: China wants peace, prosperity, sustainable development and people-to-
people exchanges with the EU. The EU has affirmed its respect for China’s sovereignty and
territorial integrity as set out in the jointly adopted EU-China 2020 Strategic Agenda for
Cooperation in 2013, and an annual EU-China Summit is being held each year to discuss
political and economic relations, as well as global and regional affairs. The majority of trade
between China and the EU involved machinery and vehicles, as well as science and
technology, including collaboration in the Horizon 2020 program, which oversees areas
including energy, water, health and space. This affirms that China and the EU are committed
to cooperating, particularly on the issue of health. Lastly, China helped bail Europe out during
the debt crisis, buying billions of euros worth of Eurozone bonds, which affirms that China is
committing to building strong trading ties and supporting the European economy, to better
affect trade and the transfer of capital.

The Issue of the South China Sea:

China contends sovereignty in the South China Sea, and while it is open to considering the
merits of other claims to the region, it is committed to securing the region of any instability.
China asserts the claim of the Nine Dash Line, detailed below.
China recognises the economic and strategic importance of the Nine Dash Line, with around
⅓ of the world’s maritime trade passing through the South China Sea annually. Eight of the
world’s ten busiest container ports are in the Asia-Pacific region. Approximately two-thirds of
the world’s oil shipments transit through the Indian Ocean to the Pacific, and China recognises
the importance of this to its energy needs.

China is aware of the United States’ operations in the South China Seas, and the US’s
dominating naval capabilities, which could threaten China’s access to foreign markets and
energy supplies. China does not want to go to war over the South China Seas, but is
committed to its interests in the region.