China’s Power: Up for Debate 2020: Debate 3

This special episode of the ChinaPower podcast is the third of five featuring the audio from the China Power Project's fifth annual conference, which comprises five live online debates. The third debate took place on December 3, 2020 and featured two experts debating the following proposition: China will exploit the Covid-19 pandemic to shift the geopolitical balance of power in its favor.

As the Covid-19 pandemic spread across the globe, China increased pressure on India, Taiwan, and several Southeast Asian neighbors that have territorial claims in the South China Sea. Chinese officials also lashed out at some foreign governments, which many characterized as “wolf warrior diplomacy.” In addition, China has embarked on a public health-diplomacy campaign, promising personal protective equipment and preferential vaccine access to developing nations and partners of China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

Yan Xuetong, Dean of the Institute of Modern International Relations at Tsinghua University, argued that China will exploit the COVID-19 pandemic to shift the geopolitical balance of power in its favor. Aaron Friedberg, Professor of Politics and International Affairs at Princeton University, argued that China will not exploit the COVID-19 pandemic to shift the geopolitical balance of power in its favor.

This event is made possible by generous support of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.