Combating COVID-19 in the implementation of China’s foreign policy strategy (on the example of the Southeast Asia)

Abstract

The article attempts to analyze China’s use of countering COVID-19 in the implementation of foreign policy strategy in the region of Southeast Asia. The region of Southeast Asia is seen by official Beijing as the object of the idea of building a “community of one destiny” proclaimed by Chinese President Xi Jinping. In turn, the fight against coronavirus disease and the provision of appropriate assistance to the countries of Southeast Asia is implemented by China as an element of the Belt and Road Initiative, namely its component “Health Silk Road”. The author analyzes the main components of China’s assistance to the countries of Southeast Asia in the post-coronavirus era, which are embodied in the implementation of “mask diplomacy”: 1) material assistance in the form of medical supplies; 2) assistance through the exchange of experience in combating infection (provision of medical teams). China’s multilevel approach to cooperation with the region in the post-coronavirus era was noted: 1) cooperation at the institutional level of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (ASEAN); 2) development of the LancangMekong mechanisms (China, Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand) and a subregional group that includes China, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines namely East ASEAN.
It should be noted that China’s intensification in the region of Southeast Asia in the direction of counteracting COVID-19 can be described as an element of Beijin’s “soft power”, as well as a tool to achieve regional and global leadership in competition with the United States using not only “mask diplomacy”, but also “vaccine diplomacy”. The precondition for such intensification of China in the region is a new aggravation of the South China Sea issue and active support of the states of the region by the USA at the present stage (US petition to the UN from June 1, 2020). The author concludes that providing assistance to the countries of Southeast Asia in counteracting COVID-19 successfully implements China’s idea of the achievement of global leadership, expanding the Belt and Road Initiative and establishing partnerships / subordination with ASEAN member states.