Digitalization has also helped dormant businesses spring back to life. Cities such as Beijing, Tianjin and Hangzhou have offered digital vouchers worth billions of dollars to the buying public, while e-commerce livestreaming has become a popular way for merchants, manufacturers and farmers to sell products, with over 4 million e-commerce livestreaming marketing activities held in the first quarter of this year.

When a new surge of cases seems on its way, strong and swift measures should also come back as soon as possible.

For example, after Suifenhe city bordering Russia in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province saw rising imported cases in April, all inbound personnel were required to undergo testing and a fortnight quarantine at designated places. With additional medical resources deployed, by May 12, all 409 cases imported and under treatment or medical observation have been discharged.

As China is still feeling its way back to normalcy, its experience tells that exit from lockdowns cannot be treated as a gamble. Countries worldwide should manage the recovery process with caution, perseverance and coordination, so that the hard-won results of an arduous battle against the virus will not be spoiled.