Policy style, consistency and the effectiveness of the policy mix in China’s fight against COVID-19

Abstract

As the first country stricken by the COVID-19 pandemic, China deployed a policy response that was chaotic at the start but effective in the end. A complete account to explain China’s COVID-19 experience should explain both. By examining policy changes in China’s fight against the pandemic, I show that pandemic as an exogenous shock invalidated the normal policy logics followed by multiple policy actors, resulting in policy inconsistency and chaos. A policy mix comprised traditional measures, i.e. strict community lockdown, cross-jurisdictional mobilization of resources and officials’ sanction contributed to the eventual effectiveness of China’s response to the pandemic. I argue that the policy mix during crises should conform with rooted national policy style to be consistent and effective.