On April 8, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Politburo Standing Committee held a meeting on the coronavirus pandemic situation and the economic situation both in China and outside of China. Xi Jinping gave a speech stating, “Everyone must adhere to bottom-line thinking (thinking about the worst scenario) and have the mental and work preparation to deal with changes in the external environment for a long period of time. The coronavirus prevention and control work against importing the virus from abroad and reinfection internally must not be relaxed.”
Xi’s statement of preparing to “deal with changes in the external environment for a long period of time” caused the media to have a number of discussions. Chinese media focused on the virus containment and on importing the virus from abroad. (Qiushi, #1)
Media outside of the CCP’s control said that the CCP’s worries about external changes, including the international community suing it for the virus pandemic and the external impact on its economy.
Radio Free Asia (#2) commented that it is very rare for Xi to warn about “changes in the external environment.” Even during the toughest time during the U.S.-China trade war, Xi and other CCP officials did not make such a statement. The article quoted Zhang Lifan, an independent historian, who stated that China is worried about international lawsuits against the CCP for coronavirus damage. “Many people said that 120 years ago, in 1900, eight countries sent a joint army to China (and forced the Qing Dynasty to pay a huge indemnity). This time it might be 80 countries that join forces to hold China accountable.”
One article from Radio France International (#3) agreed with the thought. “Xi was giving a warning. What he didn’t speak about directly is a very severe issue that, after the pandemic is over, other countries will hold the CCP accountable for the damages from the virus. Initially, this issue was not that urgent, but Beijing’s series of actions in attempt to cleanse itself from the liability have backfired and led to the international community’s great vigilance and condemnation.”
Radio France International (#4) said in another article that Xi’s warning could be linked to the economic crisis in China. On April 10, at a press conference on maintaining foreign trade, Ren Hongbin, the Assistant Minister of Commerce stated that China is willing to expand its cooperation with the U.S. and other trade partners. Ren said that China’s trading companies are facing severe situations, including reduced orders, increasing costs, a poor international logistics process, and the blocking of supply chains.
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1. Source: Qiushi, April 10, 2020
http://www.qstheory.cn/wp/2020-04/10/c_1125838804.htm
2. Excerpt in Chinese:
在武汉解封、中国准备全国全面复工复产之际，中共中央政治局常委周三（8日）召开会议。总书记习近平强调，必须为较长时间应对外部环境变化做好准备。
周三的政治局常委会议集中分析国内外疫情防控和经济形势。总书记习近平发表讲话，说当前中国的疫情防控阶段性成效，取得进一步巩固，复工复产有重要进展，但国际疫情持续蔓延，世界经济下行风险加剧，不稳定不确定因素显著增多，面对严峻复杂的国际疫情和世界经济形势，大家要坚持底线思维，做好较长时间应对外部环境变化的思想准备和工作准备，外放输入、内放反弹的防控工作决不能放松。
从习近平口中出现“较长时间应对外部环境变化”这一讲法十分罕见，即使美中贸易战白热化时期，习近平等决策层官员也不会如此表态。
独立历史学者章立凡认为，虽然中国的疫情得到缓解，但中共面对的国际处境却十分艰难，尤其是其他国家有可能就疫情向中国索偿。
章立凡：“现在很多人在这么说，120年前是庚子年，来了八国联军，现在有可能是八十国联军，或者更多，因为武汉肺炎给全球的政治和经济造成了灾难，对中国的问责，从国际角度来说可能难以避免，不仅西方国家，一些原来和中国关系相对较好的国家，现在也逐渐变脸。”
Source: Radio Free Asia, April 9, 2020
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/huanjing/gf2-04092020082735.html
3. Excerpt in Chinese:
习近平这是在敲警钟，他没有直接讲出来的，恐怕是另外一个极其严重的问题，这就是有一天疫情终结之后，追责的问题。追责的问题原本没有这么紧急，这么逼人，但由于北京当局操作下的一系列拙劣的甩锅行为，引起国际社会、国际舆论的极大警惕和声讨。
北京数周来的系列甩锅行为包括：一，疫情的源头不在中国。
第二个重大的甩锅行为就是“我们早已在一月初就向世界卫生组织通报”，这成了中共堵外人嘴的重要一招，但是，令人怀疑的是，北京究竟向世卫组织通报了什么，通报到什么程度，无从知悉。
第三隐瞒淡化疫情，扭曲信息，阻碍或者误导国际卫生组织及时采取行动，
第四就是中国公布的武汉死于新冠病毒的数字受到国际舆论严重质疑，
今天，不光西方舆论要追责，不信任中国提供的数据，中国的传统友邦伊朗、巴西也不信任中国的数据，矛头都指向中国，指责中国隐瞒疫情，给全世界造成重大灾难，甚至有些国家的议员，一些机构和组织已经提出向中国索赔。
Source: Radio France International, April 10, 2020
http://www.rfi.fr/cn/中国/20200410-习近平对全球会追责似有清醒认识
4. Excerpt in Chinese:
据该报道说，在国新办周五举行的稳外贸专题发布会上，商务部部长助理任鸿斌指出，中美互为重要的贸易伙伴，中美经贸合作也是互利共赢的，去年因为中美经贸摩擦，双边贸易量有所下降。中国愿意在新的形势下，扩大同包括美国在内的各个经贸伙伴的合作关系，希望中美双方共同努力，促进双边贸易的健康发展。
任鸿斌直言，今年以来，受疫情的影响，中国外贸企业面临的形势异常严峻复杂。外贸企业不同于内贸企业，受到的困难来自于国内外，来自于短期和长期，现在主要的困难是订单减少，成本上升，国际物流不畅，产业链、供应链受阻等等。
据任鸿斌强调，尽管形势异常严峻，但会加强疫情防控国际合作，保市场、保订单、保份额，把疫情的影响降到最低，全力以赴稳住外贸外资基本盘。
路透社说，中共中央政治局常委会周三召开会议，中国国家主席习近平主持会议指出，面对严峻复杂的国际疫情和世界经济形势，要坚持底线思维，做好较长时间应对外部环境变化的思想准备和工作准备。
中国总理李克强周二主持召开的国务院常务会议称，要统筹内外贸发展，支持加工贸易企业纾解困难，促进稳外资、稳就业。在已设立59个跨境电商综合试验区基础上，再新设46个跨境电商综合试验区。
Source: Radio France International, April 11, 2020
http://www.rfi.fr/cn/中国/20200411-新冠疫情称稳-中国启拼外贸推3保