China's Sars triumph

By Jill McGivering BBC Asia analyst

The Chinese authorities are hoping that the lifting of the Sars-related travel warning on Beijing will bring an end to this troublesome and embarrassing chapter in the city's history.

The government's handling of the Sars (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) crisis has been a landmark test of its ability to respond to pressure.

The authorities were caught off guard in the early stages, criticised by both the World Health Organization and the Chinese public for failing to report early cases of the virus, which first surfaced last November.

The Sars epidemic is finally dying down in Beijing

Officials moved slowly from denials to grudging admissions. Its credibility had been dealt a major blow.

But when China's new president, Hu Jintao, took over in March, he staged a dramatic turnaround.

First he dismissed the health minister and the mayor of Beijing.

Then he appeared on television to promise the public that there would be no more lies.

It was a rare moment of openness and accountability.

Tough punishments were announced for officials who concealed cases.

People who broke quarantine were threatened with life imprisonment, even execution. Human rights groups were horrified.

Lesson learned

The government mobilised quickly. A special hospital was built outside Beijing in just eight days, and 30,000 inspectors were deployed to go door to door through Beijing, checking for signs of the virus.

Public opinion was soon firmly behind the government again.

The authorities may have learnt that next time public health is at stake, it must be more responsible.

But the irony is that its strong response, which now seems to have been vindicated, was only possible because China's political system is so authoritarian.

In Taiwan, for example, officials said that public disobedience contributed to the spread of the virus.

Democratic culture has many benefits - but can be less effective when it comes to laying down the law.