G2’New Cold War battlefield’ Southeast Asia
– While the conflict between the US and China is intensifying, China is actively expanding its influence in Southeast Asia through’vaccine diplomacy’ with its own corona 19 vaccine. The strategy is to take advantage of the urgent situation of Southeast Asian countries, which are struggling to secure vaccines, to attract them to the Chinese side.
Fostering friendly public opinion, unchecked’one stone two groups’
“There is no free lunch” alert voice
– In fact, in the situation of the corona pandemic, developed countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom pre-purchased the corona 19 vaccine, and developing countries in Southeast Asia had to face great difficulty in securing the vaccine. The supply of vaccines is limited, but as Western countries mobilize to hoard, Southeast Asian countries have been pushed to the subordinate ranks of supply. The pessimistic outlook that “if this trend, group immunity in Southeast Asia will only be possible after 2022,” declined.
Then, China did not miss this opportunity, promised to support the Corona 19 vaccine produced in Korea, and began to expand its position in Southeast Asia. The heart is to develop a’vaccine public opinion war’ in Southeast Asia, where the U.S. and China are engaged in fierce nervous warfare, such as Myanmar and the South China Sea, to improve relations with these countries and to foster friendly public opinion. Some analyzes say that it was aimed at the effect of’one stone two groups’ to check the US by utilizing the gap in vaccine sweep.
Graphic = Reporter Park Chun-hwan [email protected]
– In January, the focus was on the vaccine diplomacy for the visit of China’s foreign minister Wang Yi to Southeast Asia. On the surface, they suggested strengthening economic cooperation as a reason for their visit, but in reality, they focused on presenting a’hidden card’ called Corona 19 vaccine support. In particular, in Indonesia, immediately after President Joko Widodo vaccinated the Chinese vaccine live, Wang met with the manager and drew attention. Director Wang Yi replied, “The support of the Corona 19 vaccine will be a good example of the brotherhood of the two countries around the world.” “We will actively support Indonesia to become a hub for vaccine production in Southeast Asia.”
Unlike Pfizer, Moder, or vaccines, Chinese vaccines can be transported and stored in a refrigerated state rather than frozen, and are relatively inexpensive, making them easy to vaccination in Southeast Asian developing countries located in tropical regions. The Philippine government, which has decided to purchase 25 million doses of Chinese vaccines, said, “There is no other option,” saying, “It is a reality that we have to rely on Chinese vaccines until at least June in the situation where we have failed to obtain vaccines early.” As a result, China also donated an additional 500,000 doses of vaccines and made a gesture of reconciliation to the Philippines, which is fighting for sovereignty in the South China Sea.
The US view of China’s active vaccine diplomacy is also not comfortable. In an interview with the Voice of the United States (VOA), Huang Yan-jung, a senior researcher at the American Foreign Relations Association, diagnosed that “China has a strong political will for vaccine diplomacy and is very threatening in that it has the ability to realize it.” Some argue that the Biden government should pay attention to these regions before it is too late in order to control China’s “vaccines one-on-one” and “vaccine excavation”.
Meanwhile, the anti-corona 19 vaccine made in China appears to be lower than that of other vaccines, raising their heads. As a result of clinical trials in Brazil, it is reported that the synovac vaccine prevention effect was 50.4%, which only exceeded 50%, the minimum standard for emergency use. Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut stepped back, saying, “I will not be in a hurry to get an unverified vaccination,” as controversy over the effectiveness and trust of Chinese vaccines arose.
In Southeast Asia, there is also a growing voice that China should be wary of Chinese intentions hidden in vaccine diplomacy. It is pointed out that we should not forget the adage that “There is no free lunch in international politics”. CNN broadcasts, “China is designated as the epicenter of Corona 19 and is trying to prepare an opportunity for reversal through vaccine diplomacy when the national image is deteriorated. I will be able to make it,” he predicted.
Reporter Park Shin-hong [email protected]
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