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China bests US on key New Cold War battleground
Beijing's mask diplomacy has won out over Washington’s Covid-19 blame game in strategic Southeast Asia
By RICHARD S EHRLICHJUNE 6, 2020
China's influence is looming larger than America's in post-pandemic Southeast Asia. Photo: Twitter
BANGKOK – Southeast Asia is resisting the acrimonious US-China blame game over Covid-19, preferring to maintain close links with both powerful nations without taking sides.
But China, even while serving as the origin of the pandemic that has devastated the region’s economies, appears to enjoy a better image among its hearts and minds.
“Southeast Asian countries are standing on the sidelines of the Washington-Beijing Covid-19 quarrel, not taking sides with one or the other,” Paul Chambers, an international affairs lecturer at Naresuan University in northern Thailand, said in an interview.
“Given that China is the region’s leading trading partner and provider of new foreign investment, and China came out of the coronavirus pandemic earlier than the US, Beijing has an edge over the Washington right now.
“The continuing Covid-19 problems in the US shows Southeast Asians that the US political system is not a good model for dealing with the virus,” Chambers opined.
Thailand has instinctively stayed out of the diplomatic spat, hoping it would stop and not escalate inside the kingdom.
“Bullying” through diplomacy often turns off Southeast Asian countries, which publicly project harmony, compromise or indifference instead of loud and perceived as embarrassing confrontation, analysts say.
For example, President Trump’s suspension of “support for the WHO (World Health Organization) provides an opportunity for Beijing to gain better global leadership status,” Titipol Phakdeewanich, political science dean at Ubon Ratchathani University in eastern Thailand, said.
Southeast Asia has also been “focusing on the control of Covid-19, rather than falling into the political game between Washington and Beijing, partly because of the consideration of a post-Covid recession in the global economy,” Titipol said in an interview.
“Therefore, maintaining good relations with Washington and Beijing is crucial.”
Early in the Covid-19 crisis, Thailand’s government and business sector exported face masks to Wuhan, the initial nest of infection in China, to lessen a dangerous shortage there.
China soon reciprocated by helping a suddenly needy Thailand with surgical masks, test kits and personal protective equipment (PPE).
Chinese Charge d’Affaires to Thailand Yang Xin and Thai Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul in Bangkok, March 24, 2020. Photo: Twitter/The Nation
“As many as 100,000 surgical masks, 20,000 test kits, 10,000 N95 respirators and 2,000 personal protective equipment [units] were handed over to Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul” by China on March 18, the Bangkok Post reported.
On May 26, for instance, China’s consulate in northeast Thailand’s Khon Kaen province donated 100,000 masks to its provincial governor in a public ceremony.
Even though the US also provided Thailand with medical assistance, research and supplies, Beijing’s “mask diplomacy” with Bangkok has been highlighted more in the press and among government officials.
Other Southeast Asian countries are also vying for China’s largesse, not least because the Chinese can bring high-tech industrial development to upgrade the region’s manufacturing sectors.
“In Southeast Asia for example, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand have been more appreciative and accepting than Vietnam, Indonesia and Singapore, highlighting divergent interests and views towards China,” Thitinan Pongsudhirak, professor of political science at Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn University, recently wrote.
Cambodia and Laos have developed particularly close financial and diplomatic ties from Beijing, while also welcoming Washington’s financial support. Beijing has offered medical aid to both during the Covid-19 crisis.
Harsh laws stifle citizens in Cambodia and Laos against criticizing their leaders policies, Covid-19 containment efforts, and relations with the US and China.
A shipment of Chinese medical equipment donations arrives in Cambodia, April 2020. Photo: AFP/Getty Images/Tang Chhin Sothy
The Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, and Malaysia have hot and cold relations with China, with strong trade and investment ties but fraught relations over disputes in the South China Sea.
Tiny Singapore, perhaps Southeast Asia’s worst virus-hit country, works closely with the US on regional and military issues.
Thailand, a US Major Non-NATO Ally which has no direct South China Sea dispute, enjoys China’s diplomatic, economic and military support. In recent years, the Thai economy has become highly reliant on Chinese tourists as the industry has driven new economic growth.
Thailand also benefits from massive US military training exercises several times a year, plus other lucrative links. DeSombre suggested in a recent op-ed that Thailand is well-poised to receive new US investment as the US “decouples” its economy from China’s.
Richard S. Ehrlich is a Bangkok-based American correspondent reporting from Asia since 1978.
Asia Times Financial is now live. Linking accurate news, insightful analysis and local knowledge with the ATF China Bond 50 Index, the world's first benchmark cross sector Chinese Bond Indices. Read ATF now.
Beijing's mask diplomacy has won out over Washington’s Covid-19 blame game in strategic Southeast Asia
By RICHARD S EHRLICHJUNE 6, 2020
China's influence is looming larger than America's in post-pandemic Southeast Asia. Photo: Twitter
BANGKOK – Southeast Asia is resisting the acrimonious US-China blame game over Covid-19, preferring to maintain close links with both powerful nations without taking sides.
But China, even while serving as the origin of the pandemic that has devastated the region’s economies, appears to enjoy a better image among its hearts and minds.
“Southeast Asian countries are standing on the sidelines of the Washington-Beijing Covid-19 quarrel, not taking sides with one or the other,” Paul Chambers, an international affairs lecturer at Naresuan University in northern Thailand, said in an interview.
“Given that China is the region’s leading trading partner and provider of new foreign investment, and China came out of the coronavirus pandemic earlier than the US, Beijing has an edge over the Washington right now.
“The continuing Covid-19 problems in the US shows Southeast Asians that the US political system is not a good model for dealing with the virus,” Chambers opined.
Thailand has instinctively stayed out of the diplomatic spat, hoping it would stop and not escalate inside the kingdom.
“Bullying” through diplomacy often turns off Southeast Asian countries, which publicly project harmony, compromise or indifference instead of loud and perceived as embarrassing confrontation, analysts say.
For example, President Trump’s suspension of “support for the WHO (World Health Organization) provides an opportunity for Beijing to gain better global leadership status,” Titipol Phakdeewanich, political science dean at Ubon Ratchathani University in eastern Thailand, said.
Southeast Asia has also been “focusing on the control of Covid-19, rather than falling into the political game between Washington and Beijing, partly because of the consideration of a post-Covid recession in the global economy,” Titipol said in an interview.
“Therefore, maintaining good relations with Washington and Beijing is crucial.”
Early in the Covid-19 crisis, Thailand’s government and business sector exported face masks to Wuhan, the initial nest of infection in China, to lessen a dangerous shortage there.
China soon reciprocated by helping a suddenly needy Thailand with surgical masks, test kits and personal protective equipment (PPE).
Chinese Charge d’Affaires to Thailand Yang Xin and Thai Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul in Bangkok, March 24, 2020. Photo: Twitter/The Nation
“As many as 100,000 surgical masks, 20,000 test kits, 10,000 N95 respirators and 2,000 personal protective equipment [units] were handed over to Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul” by China on March 18, the Bangkok Post reported.
On May 26, for instance, China’s consulate in northeast Thailand’s Khon Kaen province donated 100,000 masks to its provincial governor in a public ceremony.
Even though the US also provided Thailand with medical assistance, research and supplies, Beijing’s “mask diplomacy” with Bangkok has been highlighted more in the press and among government officials.
Other Southeast Asian countries are also vying for China’s largesse, not least because the Chinese can bring high-tech industrial development to upgrade the region’s manufacturing sectors.
“In Southeast Asia for example, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand have been more appreciative and accepting than Vietnam, Indonesia and Singapore, highlighting divergent interests and views towards China,” Thitinan Pongsudhirak, professor of political science at Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn University, recently wrote.
Cambodia and Laos have developed particularly close financial and diplomatic ties from Beijing, while also welcoming Washington’s financial support. Beijing has offered medical aid to both during the Covid-19 crisis.
Harsh laws stifle citizens in Cambodia and Laos against criticizing their leaders policies, Covid-19 containment efforts, and relations with the US and China.
A shipment of Chinese medical equipment donations arrives in Cambodia, April 2020. Photo: AFP/Getty Images/Tang Chhin Sothy
The Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, and Malaysia have hot and cold relations with China, with strong trade and investment ties but fraught relations over disputes in the South China Sea.
Tiny Singapore, perhaps Southeast Asia’s worst virus-hit country, works closely with the US on regional and military issues.
Thailand, a US Major Non-NATO Ally which has no direct South China Sea dispute, enjoys China’s diplomatic, economic and military support. In recent years, the Thai economy has become highly reliant on Chinese tourists as the industry has driven new economic growth.
Thailand also benefits from massive US military training exercises several times a year, plus other lucrative links. DeSombre suggested in a recent op-ed that Thailand is well-poised to receive new US investment as the US “decouples” its economy from China’s.
Richard S. Ehrlich is a Bangkok-based American correspondent reporting from Asia since 1978.
Asia Times Financial is now live. Linking accurate news, insightful analysis and local knowledge with the ATF China Bond 50 Index, the world's first benchmark cross sector Chinese Bond Indices. Read ATF now.
