Flu crisis brings east asians together in show of solidarity

These days it seems all concerned countries are on alert all the time because anything can happen. Nobody expects that after the devastating global financial meltdown, another pandemic would not swiftly encompass the globe in a matter of days.

The special health ministerial meeting at the Dusit Thani Hotel was a far cry from the 2003 outbreak of Sars when the whole region was in confusion. This time around, all members of Asean, China, Japan and South Korea knew exactly what to do to fight the flu pandemic, which has killed 44 persons worldwide. Back then, China was criticised severely for its non-disclosure and lack of transparency about the outbreak. Affected countries such as Hong Kong, Vietnam and Thailand were also targeted for their loose surveillance systems.

In the past six years, all these dysfunctional systems have changed. Asean+3 countries were quite open to each other and very collaborative in information exchange, monitoring and surveillance. No more the inertia of the past. For instance, China has offered to train Asean officials on a regular basis to improve their capacity to cope with this pandemic. Beijing has also offered to host an international conference on the flu pandemic in the near future.

When the economic crisis struck Asia in mid-1997, it took a few weeks before Asean, China, Japan and South Korea got organised before they could get together to find common solutions. Their first financial swap agreement known as the Chiang Mai Initiative has now expanded from bilateral arrangements within the region into an elaborate multilateral framework worth US$120 billion (Bt4.1 trillion) This mechanism has been studied and adopted as a model for developing countries to address short-term liquidity problems and to supplement the existing international financial arrangements.

Then in 2003, the region was put to the test again when it was confronted with the first pandemic, Sars (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) and later on avian flu. It took less than two weeks to organise such a meeting for all concerned officials from East Asia, which had impacted on all the countries in the region and the rest of the world.

It was interesting to note that whenever East Asian leaders confront the same problems, they tend to work closely together to resolve them. Both China and Japan are cooperating well in implementing the pandemic preparedness plans. They have no longer returned to their bickering past.

Thanks to the Asean health ministers, who led the discussion on the flu pandemic along with their dialogue partners. Without the grouping's spearhead, the regional effort to build up capacity and stockpiles to fight against the flu pandemic would have been more difficult.

Japan has already donated half of the one million antiviral doses for use if the influenza spreads in Asia. Asean also has in its stockpiles 500,000 Tamiflu drugs.

Since healthy cooperation is one key component in the socio-cultural pillar, it is imperative to strengthen this kind of spirit and solidarity. Indeed, the two remaining Asean communities - security and economic - could also emulate what has been accomplished over the weekend. The joint positions agreed in Bangkok by Asean+3 will be present in the upcoming World Health Assembly in Geneva next week. Such shared positions from East Asia are rare. | Asean can also take the lead to ascertain that the broader East Asia has adopted common stands on important transnational issues such as climate change, the Doha Round, not to mention myriad non-traditional threat issues.

At the special health meeting, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva credited Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen for initiating the idea. Along with Asean,

Thailand made clear that cooperation among the Asean+3 must go beyond basic preventive measures such as disease surveillance or proper cross-border disease control to include the region's ability to develop and produce this vaccine as well as anti-viral drugs.

The global financial meltdowns and flu pandemics have already strengthened the bond of countries in East Asia through increased dialogue and mutual cooperation.

It is hoped that the collaboration forged during the time of stress and crisis would continue into the future when normalcy has been restored. The test for East Asian solidarity would be how the region can identify common issues of concern, that they could work together without fresher approaches. The sense of community has already prevailed in Bangkok.

 If the same solidarity proliferates to other key issues from other Asean pillars, then the centrality of Asean will be maintained.