A new war, experts say, is emerging. The USA has now abdicated its throne of international leadership by withdrawing from WHO, Paris Climate Agreement, Transatlantic trade negotiations and more. It’s obvious Trump's populist presidency is not winning any international diplomacy points.
This feels huge, but maybe isn’t as catastrophic as it sounds. Do we really want a country with such an incapacity to effectively handle the coronavirus outbreak telling others how to run the show? After all, the US’s staggering death rate could have been avoided with swift and stronger political action.
Assuming you answer no, it is interesting to think about what the future of International Relations will bring. China has a claim to the role with it now having the world’s highest GDP. However, mistrust in the Chinese government by Western countries and its neighbours goes back decades. With controversies surrounding Huawei, Hong-Kong and COVID-19, to name but a few, making it unlikely that China will take charge.
Some International Relations experts think we might not even need the USA or China to achieve world collaboration. The EU and ASEAN have proven to be potentially more prudent forces.Whatever the case, who takes charge and who hides during the pandemic can trigger political fallout well into the future.
Brishti Datta
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