China Leading a New Global Order amid the Fight against COVID-19?

The whole world is in a panicky mode and life almost on a standstill with hundreds of cities under lockdown, in fighting the war against Corona Virus (COVID-19), which was declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a global pandemic.  China first struggled alone to fight the epidemic especially in Wuhan region even without WHO directives. The world has not experienced such a pandemic since WW II   that affects so many countries in a short period.

In times of crisis around the world, whether wars or other natural calamities, the world has been used to images of American forces, or NATO allies and aid workers being sent to intervene. The current health crisis around the world due to COVID19 pandemic, has shown a paradigm shift, in the countries on the frontline. It’s no longer America and its NATO allies anymore.

China, despite being the first and hard hit country by the COVID19, it swiftly mobilized resources and health workers to help other countries around the world to deal with the Coronavirus crisis. China’s richest man Jack MA, also sent medical equipment to the United States, despite political differences and trade wars between the two countries.   Russia and Cuba have also joined hands with China by sending doctors and medical supplies to affected countries in Europe. Outside China, Italy has been the most affected, followed by the US, Spain and Germany.

Through his tweeter account, Jack Ma posted the words, “one world, one fight”, which were interpreted as reminding the world to come together in the fight against the COVID19 pandemic, as a common enemy of humanity. On the other hand, the US president Donald Trump has been widely criticized for postings on his twitter account remarks considered as racist and xenophobic attacks against China calling the coronavirus, the China virus.

The biggest question though is not about what is said but rather what is being done to help fight the COVI-19 pandemic and supporting less developed affected countries around the world that have no means to do so! The US and European countries seem to have been caught off guard despite early warning signs of what China was going through.   According to media sources, the US and UK for example, were caught in severe shortage of the required medical supplies for medical workers. “Doctors at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis are performing invasive procedures on coronavirus patients with loose fitting surgical masks rather than the tight respirator masks recommended by health agencies. At a Los Angeles emergency room, doctors were given a box of expired masks… With coronavirus cases soaring, doctors, nurses and other front-line medical workers across the United States are confronting a dire shortage of masks, surgical gowns and eye gear to protect them from the virus’’.(New York Times, March 19, 2020). From this experience, it is clear that even the United States was caught off guard and struggling to deal with domestic challenges.

The impressively success story of China containing COVID-19 in a population of 1.4billion people in a relatively  short time, and later turn to  help  other affected countries  around the world, indicates the highest  level of preparedness, and dedication to serve and build a community of shared future for mankind, regardless of race, colour,religion,  political philosophy  or geographical space.  

China is taking the lead to save the world, when rich countries are still struggling to come to terms with domestic challenges leave alone being able to step out to support other countries without enough capacity to fight the COVID-19.  China did not wait to be consoled or finish dealing with her domestic challenges to bring under control the spread of infection especially at the epicenter in Wuhan region and other parts of the country. The leadership of China realized that there was great need to urgently help other countries around the world including the developed ones.

James O’Neill an Australian lawyer observes that the developments in the 21st century signify that, “The western domination of the world, including trade, economic development are coming to an end. A failure to recognize that reality and taking steps to oppose, undermine, and in many cases actively sabotage that development, only delays the inevitable”.

The COVID-19 global crisis has probably acted as a litmus test on reshaping world politics and international relations, marking the beginning of the end of Western domination of world affairs. The inaction of rich Western nations pauses many questions, while China’s domestic and international response to the war against COVID-19, is a manifestation of a new order that has provided the required solutions to the biggest deadly health crisis of our time.

 By Editorial Team Africa-China Review.