How will geopolitics change, and will China be held accountable?
Even as Donald Trump was busy blaming European and Chinese travellers for the spread of Covid-19 in the US, China offered generous help to affected regions in Europe, Asia and Africa. The abdication of global leadership by the US, and further strain on transatlantic ties in light of Covid-19, might mean that China not only isn’t held accountable for unleashing a preventable disaster upon the globe, but ends up benefiting from it.
Points to consider:
Points to consider:
- How will America's response to Covid-19 impact its global leadership?
- Will China emerge stronger once this passes?
- Have Italy and Iran been hit harder because of their membership in China’s OBOR?
- Will China's Belt Road Initiative (BRI) continue to expand or be halted?
- Will Western countries invoke UN-based mechanisms to hold China accountable?
- Will the international community frame guidelines to compel countries to be transparent about outbreaks of infectious diseases'?
References
- China's responsibility
- China is Legally Responsible fir Covid-19 Damage and Claims could be in the Trillions
- WaPo - Missteps and secrecy in China probably allowed the coronavirus to spread
- China's inaction for 3 days in January at root of pandemic
- Avenues to hold China accountable
- Foreign Policy - UN Security Council Paralyzed as Contagion Rages
- UNSC won’t discuss Covid-19; China blocks it with help from Russia, South Africa
- US vs. China
How will multilateral institutions - WHO, UN, IMF, WB, EU among others - change in the aftermath of Covid-19?
Multilateral institutions have taken a beating since Brexit and the 2016 US elections, but might be staging a comeback thanks to the outbreak of coronavirus. In light of confused, contradictory and often false messaging by the US, WHO has emerged as one of the go-to platforms for reliable information on the disease. Yet, there are legitimate questions to be raised over WHO's deference to China, and Trump has already threatened to pull funding citing WHO's alleged delay in warning the world about the outbreak.
Points to consider:
Points to consider:
- Do global organisations stand to gain or lose from Covid-19?
- How much does WHO depend on US funding?
- Is the answer to the above question (still) largely dependent on the result of 2020 US elections?
References