The speaker discusses the control measures taken by China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and other countries in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. They mention that China's initial response was slow, but the lockdowns in Wuhan and other cities were effective in slowing down the spread. Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore have been more proactive in their approach, using social distancing and other measures to keep the virus at low levels. The speaker also raises concerns about the sustainability of these measures in the long term.