What Does China’s Early Recovery From the Novel Coronavirus Mean for the Global Order?

Abstract

Despite being the official origin of the SARS-CoV-2 global pandemic, China has managed to recuperate with relatively minimal health and economic damages while the United States and other big global players in Europe are still grappling soaring cases and facing immense economic hardships. The current global hegemon—the United States—has suffered the severest damages in terms of human mortality and increased unemployment rates. Such hardships coincided with its gradual withdrawal from numerous international engagements. At the same time, China is deepening and expanding its global presence and visibility through foreign infrastructure investment and diplomatic ties both at multilateral and bilateral levels. Considering such, the paper discusses the likely impact of China’s early recovery on the future of the global order. The discussion demonstrates that China has utilised the pandemic to showcase its ability to become a global protector. The country has played a pivotal role in the supply of pharmaceutical equipment required to slow down the spread of the disease and has played a significant role in providing the information and advice regarding practical methods to prevent the virus from wide spreading. Economically, China has been the first big global player to register positive economic growth since the pandemic’s outbreak and yet did not provide any stimulus packages to support businesses as other big economies have done and are still doing. With such, many commentators suggest that China is likely to replace the United States as the new global economic superpower since the United States is receding from in its global engagements and suffering economic uncertainties. However, the author of this paper believes that, despite the adverse impact of the coronavirus on the world's leading economies, the shrinking US's interest in international affairs, and the global role of China during the coronavirus period—the roots of US's influence on the international scene are too deep to uproot as of now. The US remains robust militarily, economically, and politically abroad. Besides, the country has a chance to turnaround its international reputation should the November 2020 presidential election result in a new white house occupant.
 
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