Multilevel responses to risks, shocks and pandemics: lessons from the evolving Chinese governance model

Abstract The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed strengths and weaknesses of different governing models around the world. In all cases, national coordination and financing is needed together with local information generation, early warning, as well as using big data to identify problem clusters, track, trace and quarantine potentially infectious people. Also, primary health care at the local level has to be the basis for actions, as well as local support for affected households. In China, delays in information generation and local actions were compensated by prompt central response, coordination and management of the pandemic. This points to the need to further strengthen the Chinese Governance Model. In many other countries, a lack of coordinated federal or national actions and financing, and weak coordination with subnational administrations has led to catastrophic outcomes. The national coordination actions need to be replicated with stronger international coordination. The need for reforms also is relevant for achieving sustainable growth in the future at both national and global levels, including also risks from climate change.