In an effort to launch its soft power, China engaged in vaccine diplomacy in Southeast Asia to counter the story of the origin of the virus and to create a credible image.
 |
| Photo (https://unsplash.com/photos/mAGZNECMcUg) |
When Joseph Nye coined the word 'soft power', it was misunderstood because it had so many different meanings. The concept of soft power was seen only as a "non-commercial power like cultural and commercial goods".
Soft power today is rejecting traditional foreign policy tools and making them organically beneficial to the world by creating statements in their place, establishing rules of international relevance, and the idea of spreading “influence” by focusing on the country’s resources.
Although it took time for the world stage to understand the true essence of the term, it soon became known as the most non-existent but unfamiliar fundamental of foreign policy. Some countries, such as the West and Europe, embraced ‘soft power’ by spreading their culture through Hollywood, blue jeans fashion or the global market. But even though some countries like China flourished of late, they are now surprisingly relevant.
China is often viewed with skepticism in terms of meeting basic needs or fulfilling the triad of soft power defined by Nye-culture, values and policies.
Western culture became a norm in the rest of the world and was universally accepted as the “new normal” or “modern” era; With the advent of modern Chinese medicine, herbal teas, Confucian institutions, historical richness, and the popularity of our language as a soft power diplomacy, China began to resist by sharpening the table.
China is often viewed with skepticism when it comes to meeting basic needs or fulfilling the triad of soft power defined by Nye-culture, values and policies. Unlike the US, Japan and South Korea, China fails to reflect its country’s reputation abroad.
Since then, to this day, much has changed, and China has excelled in using its soft power with "Between the Line" features. Today, China can be seen as a prime example of a nation standing on its "smart power" capabilities. From the establishment of Confucius Institutions around the world to the various vaccine diplomacy of today, China has proven to be the dragon of the world, especially in Southeast Asia.
Vaccine Diplomacy and Soft Power
In addition to gaining political advantage in the Southeast Asian region, Beijing is seizing the opportunity to leverage its medicinal and economic prowess through vaccine distribution.
The implementation of the China-ASEAN Public Health Co-operation Initiative (under the ASEAN-China Dialogue for the period 2005-2010, 2011-2015 and 2016-2020) has increased support for the ASEAN Medical Emergency Medical Reserves. That in turn also strengthened the region’s public health capacity building.
In 2020, the spread of SARS-Cov-2 was seen primarily by the international community as a fault of China or a more reprehensible laboratory accident in Wuhan. The concept of SARS-CoV-2 virus leakage gained importance from the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Ongoing efforts to increase soft power were thwarted when the virus soon began to gain popularity in the media as the "Wuhan virus".
China was quick and effective in managing matters at home so that it could see from the outside and flourish as a public relations strategy in the golden age of crisis.
However, the statement soon changed China’s side as it took control of the epidemic not only to damage its reputation but also as an opportunity to take the lead by supplying vaccines, kits and other healthcare needs globally. China decided to use its vaccine diplomacy soft power to divert the attention of the global audience from the origin of the virus.
China was quick and effective in managing matters in its own home so that it could see from the outside and flourish in the golden age of crisis and play it as a public relations strategy. This was not only an opportunity for China to show its great strength to the world, but also to strengthen and take advantage of its existing soft power initiatives. Vaccines entering Southeast Asia were a way to re-launch their dominance in the region. And its soft power is fully optimized.
In July 2020, China’s first vaccine was tested in Brazil and its vaccine diplomacy began. Shortly thereafter, in November 2020, China entered into agreements with companies in most of the middle and low-income countries for the export of these Chinese-made vaccines. Egypt was the first country to receive the vaccine from China's state-owned vaccine manufacturer Sinofarm.
According to Nye's description, "the ability to influence others to achieve the desired results through attraction rather than coercion or payment", vaccine diplomacy is a powerful tool for China to project its soft power. China exported vaccines and aid to a total of 102 countries, containing an estimated 476.8 million doses, more than half of which were distributed in the Asia-Pacific. ASEAN established the COVID-19 Regional Fund in April 2020 to respond to the epidemic. China has donated US $ 1 million to the fund.
China has agreements with companies from most of the middle and low-income countries for the export of these Chinese-made vaccines.
Chinese enterprises were hampered in Southeast Asia and the main block was the delta type. Daily cases of the Delta variant were much higher in Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, but synovac and synoform vaccines were less effective in counteracting the strain of the new virus.
Conclusion
According to the Global Soft Power Index of 25 February 2021, China has slipped from fifth to eighth place. The report says that “global media coverage of the COVID-19 cases in Wuhan has had an impact, although authorities have dealt with the crisis very effectively and China is one of only a few countries in the world. The epidemic is under control and a positive GDP growth is expected by the end of 2020 ”.
Although, as far as Southeast Asian countries are concerned, they had no choice but to rely on China. Only recently, the West and Europe have focused on vaccine exports after their internal affairs came under control.
China's vaccine diplomacy has proven to have ambiguous consequences. The effectiveness of his vaccine may have been questioned but what is true is that she came to the rescue when it was not possible from the West. Already through ASEAN as well as regional security benefits; China has an advantage in the Southeast Asian region. Adding to his efforts, the epidemic has only been a boon for China, and it has reasserted its dominance in the region
Post a Comment