From assistance to communitas：Changing of China’s position of global health governance from Ebola outbreak in Africa / 中国卫生政策研究

ABSTRACT

Health is one of the essential ties between China and Africa. As the Chinese economy is experien-cing rapid development and the strategic transformation, the China-Africa cooperation is entering the era of communi-tas in all directions and the health-related aids and exchanges between China and Africa are experiencing new oppor-tunities and challenges. Previously, the China-Africa health cooperation has experienced three transitional stages from the assistance, collaboration and communitas. During the current global fight against Ebola outbreak period, while the world feared and wondered the Ebola in the beginning, China’s fast action on the fight had showed that not only the relationship between China and Africa is seen from the previous health aid legacy to Africa, but also is coming to the economic development communitas stage. Moreover, there are two essential government and non-government col-laboration established between China and Africa. So, when we analyze the fast action of China towards Ebola out-break, it is clearly shown that the China’s response is based in the perspective of humanitarian, super state accounta-ble responsibilities, and also focused on health system resilience in the epidemic countries. China and Africa are stepping into the economic development communitas stage. Therefore, this change of cooperation reflects the change of China’s position in the global health governance.