Denis Depoux, global managing director of consulting firm Roland Berger, said that technology and innovation have been paramount in the fight against the novel coronavirus crisis, "because they provide a slate of solutions".

"Innovation helped overcome the constraints, bridge gaps, and generate new growth opportunities," he said at the Vision China event on Sunday.

"This type of situation is exactly where the Chinese innovation magic plays best. China is the cradle of design thinking, or inventing practical solutions to problems, through super-pragmatic innovation," Depoux added.

Such innovations are not only manifested in key areas like protective equipment, symptom tracking, online education and health consultation, but also flourish in small, "connect the dots" applications that make lives easier in times of crisis, he said.