On the afternoon of 14 February, Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, President of China, Chairman of the Central Military Commission, and head of the Central Commission for Comprehensively Deepening Reform, chaired the 12th meeting of the Central Commission and delivered important remarks. Xi stressed that protecting the safety and health of the people is the Party's major task in governance. We must focus on current priorities by taking science-based and targeted measures to win the battle against the outbreak. More importantly, we must also draw experience and lessons to get prepared in the future. In light of the deficiencies exposed during the epidemic, we must work swiftly to address inadequacies, plug loopholes, and shore up points of weakness. We must adhere to good practices, improve existing mechanisms as necessary, establish new ones where needed, and ensure earnest implementation. Efforts must be made to improve the mechanism for major epidemic prevention and control and the national public health emergency management system.

Xi described the ongoing fight against the outbreak as a major test for China's system and capacity for governance. He pointed out the need to review and scale up our epidemic response, innovate and improve the institutions for preventing and control major epidemics, put in place a sound national public health emergency management system, and raise China's preparedness for major public health emergencies.

A better legal framework for public health must be established, and relevant laws and regulations be reviewed and improved in an all-round way.

Biosafety and biosecurity is vital to people's health, national security and long-term stability of the country, and must therefore be included into the national security system. A systematic plan on risk control and management system must be formulated to comprehensively improve China's governance capacity on biosafety and biosecurity. Legislation on a biosecurity law must be accelerated to establish the legal and institutional frameworks needed to ensure biosafety and biosecurity of the country.

Xi emphasized on the importance to reform and enhance the system on the prevention, control and treatment of major epidemics, improve emergency response, and establish a centralized, unified and efficient chain of command. We must improve medical insurance and medical aid on major diseases and the system for emergency medical services. We must establish a well-coordinated logistics system for emergency supplies, which is an important part of the national emergency management system.