China’s ‘Virus Diplomacy’ and Implications for Future Stability

Abstract

Ruthless utilitarianism forms the cornerstone of China’s totalitarian governance and has proven advantageous to counter the coronavirus outbreak. The impressive efficiency was exploited to cast doubt on the strength of Western democracy. However, their reactive success and provision of aid may not be enough to silence criticism and cries for transparency. As economic authority wanes, cracks in China’s governance model are becoming harder to seal, jeopardising global relationships and injuring domestic legitimacy. Singh will assess the efficacy and duality of China’s ‘virus diplomacy’, focusing on the weaponization of the media, crisis diplomacy and boycott diplomacy. The dissemination of praise domestically has been moderately effective, however, countering global narratives to stipulate China’s superiority was limited in comparison. Kacki’s evaluation of economic statecraft answers the question; ‘‘What are the major implications of the coronavirus pandemic and how will China emerge in terms of its stability and international power?”.