The issue of healthcare unfairness in China
In the past thirty years, with the rapid development of the Chinese economy, China's medical level has significantly improved. However, there are still issues of unfairness in China's healthcare. Medical unfairness refers to the inequality in medical resources, services, and guarantees between regions, which means that some people have difficulty accessing high-quality medical services (Guhai, 2021). The unfairness in the medical field in China not only affects people's health levels but also exacerbates social inequality. Therefore, solving the problem of medical injustice has important practical significance.
Reasons for healthcare unfairness in China
The uneven distribution of medical resources in China has led to medical unfairness. Although the Chinese government has increased investment in health in recent years, the distribution of medical resources between urban and rural areas and regions is still unbalanced. Large cities and developed areas have more medical institutions and equipment, while rural and underdeveloped areas face a shortage of medical resources. The number of doctors in China exceeds 4 million, with over 60% concentrated in urban areas (Zhang, K., 2020). This makes it almost impossible for people in rural and remote areas to enjoy high-quality medical security. In addition, medical equipment, drugs, and other medical resources are generally concentrated in large hospitals, which means that the resources urgently needed by grassroots medical institutions cannot be met in a timely manner. Residents far from medical centers often face problems such as inconvenience and high medical costs (sina_mobile, 2019). So the uneven distribution of resources mentioned above has greatly affected the healthcare issues of people far away from medical centers.
The inadequate coverage of China's medical security system has also exacerbated the phenomenon of medical unfairness in China. The medical insurance system is an important mechanism to ensure the basic medical needs of the people. The Chinese government has implemented a series of medical security policies to compensate workers for economic losses caused by diseases, but there is still a problem of incomplete coverage in different regions (Fujian Provincial Financial Management Bureau, 2021). The data from October 2023 shows that the number of people covered by the resident medical insurance system accounts for 95% of the total number of people covered by the medical insurance system (Zhang, M., 2023). In areas and populations with inadequate medical insurance coverage in China. The medical expenses paid by individuals themselves may be an unbearable economic burden for low-income groups. For example, specific groups such as impoverished populations and migrant workers often face a heavy burden of medical expenses, which leads to their relatively poor health conditions (Xu, C., 2022).
Suggestions for solving healthcare unfairness in China
In order to address the issue of healthcare unfairness, the Chinese government is continuously carrying out healthcare reform. In order to improve the uneven distribution of medical resources, the Chinese government is increasing its support for primary health care institutions. This includes increasing the training and benefits of primary healthcare personnel, improving the level and coverage of primary healthcare services (Ma Wenhua, 2023). I think the government should further improve the medical insurance system. Especially, it is necessary to strengthen the medical security for impoverished areas and low-income groups, ensuring that they can also enjoy the national medical insurance benefits fairly.
Medical injustice in China is an important social issue. The medical injustice in China has a profound impact on the people's health level and social stability. So it is necessary for the government to strengthen support and management of medical services to optimize the allocation of medical resources and improve the medical insurance system.
The issue of unfairness in international trade
International trade has driven global economic development and brought great economic benefits. However, at the same time, there are also issues of international trade unfairness. In cross-border trade, certain countries or enterprises are subjected to unfair treatment, which may bring unfair competitive advantages to certain participants, thereby affecting their interests (Baidu Baike, 2023).
Reasons for international trade unfairness
Trade barriers can lead to unfairness in international trade. Many countries have adopted various forms of trade barriers, such as tariffs, quotas, non-tariff barriers, etc. This restricts the entry of products from other countries into their own markets, further leading to trade inequality. Especially in some developed countries, they often protect their own industries by setting high tariffs and technological barriers. For example, in 2018, the US trade agency aimed to prevent washing machine manufacturers from selling washing machines at prices below cost and dumping excess supply in the US market. The US trade agency has imposed a 50% tariff on washing machines imported from South Korea, particularly on washing machines from Korean manufacturers LG and Samsung (Tejvan Pettinger, 2017). This is an unfair trade behavior. It limits the competitiveness of foreign products in the US market.
Unequal trade conditions have also led to the phenomenon of unfair international trade. Developed countries often occupy a more advantageous position with advanced technology and resources, while developing countries often face the dilemma of technological backwardness and resource scarcity. This inequality makes it difficult for developing countries to obtain fair competition opportunities in international trade. Developed countries provide significant subsidies to their agricultural producers, allowing them to sell their products at low prices in the international market, which creates unfair competition for the agricultural industry in developing countries (World Trade Organization, 2019). For example, the US government provides a large amount of subsidies to its own cotton farmers, which makes US cotton highly competitive in the international market. At the same time, this has led to many cotton farmers in African countries being unable to compete with it, resulting in trade inequality (Heinisch, E.L., 2006).
Resource deprivation is also one of the reasons for international trade unfairness . Some developed countries have controlled the resources of many developing countries through multinational corporations, which means that these resources are unfairly deprived, resulting in wealth inequality and inequality. Multinational corporations have the problem of exploiting labor. In some developing countries, multinational corporations may exploit labor and violate labor rights to produce goods at lower costs (Giuliani, E. and Macchi, C., 2014). This approach will affect the fairness of international trade.
Strategies for solving international trade unfairness
The issue of unfairness in international trade requires joint efforts from the international community to solve. Firstly, it is necessary for the international trade organization to strengthen international trade rules and establish more fair and balanced trade rules to reduce trade barriers and prevent trade discrimination (Wu Peipei, 2024). In addition, it is necessary for international trade organizations to strengthen supervision and enforcement. This includes sanctioning companies and countries that engage in unfair trade practices, ensuring strict and effective enforcement of trade rules. Moreover, countries around the world should strengthen communication and coordination. Countries need to establish a mutual trust international trade partnership, thereby promoting the establishment of a fairer international trade system.
International trade unfairness not only affects the economic development and trade relations of countries, but also poses serious challenges to the global economic order and sustainable development. Therefore, it is necessary to further strengthen the reform of international trade mechanisms and maintain sustained efforts and cooperation among countries. So as to promote the development of international trade towards fairness and foster the prosperity of the global economy.
References
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