This episode explores how China has responded to the deadly outbreak of a new coronavirus originating in the central city of Wuhan. Our guest, Dr. Yanzhong Huang, compares Beijing’s response to its handling of the 2002-2003 SARS epidemic, analyzing what key lessons the government appears to have learned and where it has fallen short. Dr. Huang also describes the varying local and global reactions to the Chinese government’s response efforts, and assesses how Beijing’s ability to control this outbreak will affect the legitimacy of the Chinese Communist Party. 

Dr. Yanzhong Huang is a senior fellow for global health at the Council on Foreign Relations, where he directs the Global Health Governance roundtable series. He is also professor and director of global health studies at Seton Hall University's School of Diplomacy and International Relations. Dr. Huang has written extensively on global health governance, health diplomacy and health security, and public health in China and East Asia.