International relation is a positivist inquiry of the global world, including the forces and relations shaping the international context. The leading perspective of international relations is the common behaviors among nations, including trade volumes, commercial behavior, state-to-state relations, and interaction of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and multinational corporations (MNCs). Given the critical role of the international system, global pandemics such as the COVID-19 significantly impacts the international relations. The coronavirus pandemic has impacted the international relations, causing diplomatic tensions and attracting a significant rethinking of existing policies to international relations. Ideally, a global pandemic such as COVID-19 presented a lot of challenges to conventional ways of theorizing international relations, resulting to reduced multilateral cooperation, increase in economic nationalism, changes in international system, ruined diplomatic relations, and tensions in international trade.
Reduced Multilateral Cooperation
The first and most critical challenge of a global pandemic such as COVID-19 towards International Relation is reduced multilateral cooperation and weakening rules based on the international system. Multilateral cooperation arises when the country of destination agrees with the free movement of labor from the countries of origin such that the two countries have unrestricted entry into their markets (Busby et al., 2019). The outbreak of COVID-19 as a global pandemic had a significant impact on international relations. The most notable effect was a reduction in multilateral cooperation, as countries became more focused on domestic issues and less willing to work together on international problems. That has been particularly evident in the UN Security Council, where divisions between member states over how to deal with the pandemic paralyzed decision-making. Further, global agreements have been undermined by disagreements between member states, including the Paris Agreement on climate change.
Before the pandemic, many states had established multilateral agreements to sustain the free movement of labor. Through multilateral cooperation, it was possible for nations to cooperate in trade and achieve free movement of labor (Johnson, 2020). The outbreak of COVID-19 had a significant impact on multilateral cooperation and international relations. The pandemic led to a decrease in international travel and trade, and a decrease in several international meetings and conferences. The pandemic also resulted in a decrease in the number of refugees and migrants arriving in Europe and other parts of the world. These decreases in international cooperation had a significant impact on the global economy, and on the ability of countries to address global issues. In light of these impacts, multilateral organizations such as the United Nations began working harder to coordinate their efforts and cooperate more closely with each other. Countries have been working to strengthen their relationships with each other, to better cooperate on global issues.
Furthermore, COVID-19 highlighted a lost opportunity for multilateralism. The pandemic had largely negative effects on global collaboration. Leading multilateral agents also had subpar performances in 2020. For example, under Donald Trump, the US gave up on multilateralism, turning it into a liability for making America Great Again rather than a long-term advantage for establishing hegemony. The multilateral apparatus faced additional issues as a result of this vacant perspective in various regions. For instance, the European Union struggled with a lack of cooperation and was unable to do much to lessen international turbulence, even though some of its member states such as Italy and Spain were early epidemic epicenters. Due to member nations’ independent provision of economic assistance and medical care, the European Union was closed for reasons of national security.
Decrease in international trade and global markets
The outbreak of COVID-19 also presented a challenge in theorizing International Relations by causing a decrease in trade in global markets. It is due to the fact that the virus had caused disruptions in the supply chain, and a decrease in the demand for goods. The outbreak of coronavirus had a significant impact on trade and international relations. The pandemic led to a sharp decline in global trade, as businesses were forced to close their doors, with countries imposing travel restrictions (Davies & Wenham, 2020). The above element had a ripple effect on the global economy, with businesses across the world feeling the pinch. The pandemic resulted in a sharp decline in global trade due to several factors, including the closure of borders, the reduction in demand for goods and services, and the disruption to supply chains. The pandemic has also had a negative impact on the global economy, which has led to a reduction in employment and income. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses have decided to close their doors, which has caused a reduction in demand for goods and services. The pandemic also led to a decrease in production and an increase in prices.
Additionally, a global pandemic such as COVID-19 presented challenges to international relations by disrupting international trade. A 2020 estimate by WTO estimated that the global economy has shrunk by nearly 4%, with the international trade declining by 9%, largely due to the coronavirus pandemic (WTO, 2020). The adoption of lockdown rules to stop the virus’s spread was one of the main obstacles to global trade. Governments all across the world implemented restrictions on the movement of people and products, which hampered local, regional, and global trade flows (Busby, 2020). Lockdown measures increased trade prices and slowed down or prevented border clearance, which disrupted the supply chain. The start of the pandemic also caused demand shocks, which led to the panic buying of necessities like food and medical supplies. The massive unemployment brought on by the economic recession and firm closures increased uncertainty, which further decreased demand for commodities traded globally, especially durables.
Regarding the lockdown measures, both the import and export of food commodities rose. That demonstrates the varied effects of lockdown measures on various goods. For instance, the rise in food commodity imports contrasts with a large fall in the import of other durable goods. That likely reflects the fact that food items’ demand remained strong despite negative income shocks, demonstrating their income inelastic character. While imports from nations with stricter lockdown laws climbed dramatically, its exports to such nations fell. For example, about five weeks after China implemented lockdown restrictions, imports began to decline drastically. The country later recovered to a level that was more in line with the pre-lockdown era.
The findings from the above research demonstrate that lockdown measures had an impact on both domestic and international trade trends. The impact of lockdown measures by a country’s trading partners on import and export trade was asymmetrical and varied depending on the mode of transportation, the severity of the lockdown measures, and the trading partner. While imports suffered as a result of the pandemic’s combined effects of interrupted maritime shipments and a decline in demand, export trade appears to have survived the outbreak with little to no noticeable damage. The findings appear to suggest that, in comparison to other crises like the Great Recession, the pandemic’s impact on global trade was relatively subdued, especially in light of its significant influence on economic growth.
Ruined Diplomatic Ties/ Geopolitical Friction
The global coronavirus pandemic also led to a sharp increase in international conflict, as countries attempted to protect their citizens from the virus. The pandemic caused geopolitical friction against China in a few ways. Firstly, the outbreak began in China and spread rapidly around the world, causing many countries to view China as responsible for the pandemic (Bahi, 2021). Secondly, China’s initial response to the outbreak was widely criticized, with many feeling that the country did not do enough to contain the virus. China’s economic power also made it a target of criticism for its alleged role in global trade and financial institutions. For instance, the US blamed China for the virus, as the country attempted to win allies by “offering aid to the affected countries,” which complicated cooperation on international relations (Bahi, 2021).
Global pandemics such as COVID-19 caused a lot of geopolitical friction that ruined the international relations among nations. For instance, the US government criticized the Chinese government for handling the pandemic, which began in Wuhan. Chinese government countered such negative images by sending aid to dozens of countries and global institutions such as the African Union and the World Health Organization (Lin, 2020). The US government further accused the project by Chinese state of establishing China as a global power through the distribution of medical aid, it what was termed as “the politics of generosity” through influencing donations. In its part, the Chinese government officials also attempted to push the conspiracy that the virus originated in the US through the US army which initiated the epidemic.
The global epidemic also ruined diplomatic ties among nations which accused China of exporting medical masks and testing kids below the standards. For instance, Netherlands recalled 600,000 face masks and some test kits, claiming they were defective (SCMP, 2020). The US also came under scrutiny for diverting shipments of crucial medical supplies. Based on the above deliberations, it is evident that if two countries have ruined diplomatic ties, it can impact international relations in several ways. For example, it can make it difficult for the two countries to communicate with each other, which can lead to misunderstandings. It can also make it difficult for the two countries to work together on joint projects or initiatives. It can also increase the risk of conflict between the two countries.
The COVID-19 had two effects on the global trading system. As governments expand their toolkit to impede trade and investment flows, it has strengthened existing trends like the slowing and now declining amount of global commerce, the emergence of economic security, and it has exposed the repercussions on U.S.-China ties. However, the epidemic also brought about fresh challenges that made clear how scarce commercial collaboration is. National limits on the export of vital medical goods and personal protective equipment have given export protectionism more attention. Ideally, ruined diplomatic ties can have a significant impact on international relations. Accordingly, it is important for countries to maintain good diplomatic relations to avoid any negative consequences.
Increase in economic nationalism
A global pandemic such as COVID-19 could lead to increased economic nationalism as countries attempt to protect their interests, which could in turn ruin international relations. The core idea of economic nationalism is that a country’s economy should serve nationalist goals, including opposing globalization and promoting self-sufficiency or protectionism (Reznikova et al., 2018). In general, global pandemics such as COVID-19 can cause economic nationalism, which can lead to protectionist measures that can reduce international trade and competition, hamper economic growth, and make it more difficult for countries to access new markets. It can also lead to conflict between countries over trade policies and other issues.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused economic nationalism by limiting the free flow of goods, services, and people across borders. That led to countries becoming more self-sufficient and relying less on international trade. The pandemic also caused countries to increase their investment in domestic industries in order to be less reliant on imports. Lastly, the pandemic caused people to become more distrustful of foreigners, which led to increased restrictions on immigration. all of these factors contributed to the growth of economic nationalism. Ultimately, the impact of economic nationalism on international relations is complex and often unpredictable.
In the post-COVID19 era, economic nationalism is on the rise around the world, particularly in nations like the United States and the United Kingdom. These changes put at risk both the benefits obtained via numerous international trade agreements and the internationalization of services. Additionally, there are worries that the COVID-19 pandemic may strengthen the trend toward protectionism and economic nationalism and further erode supranational forms of governance. Some key players in the global economy, including the US and the UK, are shifting away from globalized-oriented economy mindset by eliminating free trade-oriented policies. For instance, the COVID-19 pandemic made the US to create new barriers to foreign trade with China (Bahi, 2021). These new developments suggest that the growing economic nationalism threatens International Relations, with the potential to affect a variety of service-related industry within the economy.
Furthermore, nationalistic activities sprung out practically everywhere as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, including “wars” over masks, testing, vaccines, and even tourists. Economic nationalism was advocated as an emergency measure all over the world, which resulted in the closing of borders at a rate and in a manner unique to each country. At one point, the then US president, Donald Trump was eager to assign a nationality to the infection at the time, calling it the “Chinese virus” (Bahi, 2021). In addition, he did not hesitate to use the word “enemy” in conjunction with it, as if to emphasize the continuity with the previous notion of security, which is limited to a national level. Donald Trump thus rejected the new realities of international security and any associated International Relations methods. The nationalistic and combative narrative emphasized a collective effort and the conviction that each nation would prevail through its ingenuity. Copied models, masks, quarantines, and lockdowns were also criticized as absurd and unpatriotic. Saving the nation’s economy became more crucial since this economic nationalism, which is also a component of critique of globalization, and was the catalyst for the calamities that soon followed.
Creating humanitarian crisis that challenge international institutions
A global pandemic such as COVID-19 could create humanitarian crises that challenge the legitimacy of international organizations and institutions. The coronavirus created a humanitarian crisis in some countries, particularly in Asia, Africa and the Middle East, which had strained international resources and raised questions about how to best respond. The pandemic also resulted in widespread human suffering and a humanitarian crisis on an international scale. It also had a significant impact on international relations, with countries around the world struggling to cope with the outbreak (Askary & Fallah, 2020). The pandemic highlighted the need for greater international cooperation to effectively address global challenges. It also exposed the shortcomings of the international response to previous pandemics, such as the SARS virus.
Furthermore, COVID-19 impacted conventional ways of theorizing International Relations by putting a lot of strain on political and social structures. The development of COVID-19 in China led to an anti-Beijing demonstrations in Hong Kong. Government-citizen relations may be strained by the pandemic’s economic and public health effects, particularly where health services were compromised. For example, Ukraine and China had a frosty relationship at the epitome of coronavirus due to claims that some of the evacuees from Wuhan, China, were infected, resulting to demonstrators in Ukraine damaging buses carrying the refugees.
Damage to International Crisis Management
Populations of refugees and internally displaced people were anticipated to be particularly susceptible to COVID-19. The illness may seriously impede the ability of international organizations to assist regions impacted by armed conflict. WHO and other international officials were worried that the restrictions may disrupt the flow of aid and put a strain on more than just humanitarian organizations in the global system. For instance, due to airport closures, UN envoys operating in the Middle East were unable to enter or exit the region. Regional organizations also halted diplomatic efforts in regions in West Africa.
Additionally, the pandemic interfered with international efforts at security cooperation and peacekeeping. Due to worries about the spread of COVID-19, the UN secretariat requested in early 2020 that a group of nine nations that provide peacekeeping troops, stop some or all unit rotations (UN, 2020). The UN announced additional restrictions on rotations, which meant the suspension of all peace-keeping missions in countries like the Central African Republic and South Sudan, which could have an impact on their morale and effectiveness. Media outlets and NGOs also struggled to report on conflict and emergencies owing to travel restrictions. As a result, international organizations struggled to tackle the situation. Some authoritarian regimes appeared eager to use the crisis to impose restrictions on media freedom. For instance, Egypt reprimanded foreign journalists for their coverage of the epidemic, stripping a Guardian reporter of their credentials, while China deported a number of top American correspondents.
Another cause for concern in global pandemic such as COVID-19 is the obvious ability to incite xenophobic attitudes, especially in nations with sizable immigrant populations. Some Western politicians, most notably President Donald Trump, made jokes about the “Chinese virus” in an effort to incite hostility toward Beijing. There is anecdotal evidence that prejudice against people of Chinese ancestry rose in the United States and other Western nations. There were major risks that the pandemic will incite more anti-foreigner and racist violence.
Based on the above deliberations, it was evident that the global pandemic exposed the long-standing racism and racial inequality, deeply rooted in the society, which impacts international relations. Some possible explanations for how COVID-19 might have played a role in triggering racism in international relations include: The outbreak of COVID-19 in China led to a wave of anti-Chinese sentiment across the globe, which in turn contributed to increased xenophobia and racism. Further, the outbreak of COVID-19 led to a surge in conspiracy theories about the virus and its origins, which may have fueled mistrust and suspicion of others based on their ethnicity or national origin. Finally, the spread of COVID-19 highlighted existing disparities in health and social care between different groups of people, which may have contributed to increased feelings of isolation and discrimination. Zvobgo and Loken (2020) indicated that racism can have a number of impacts on international relations. It can fuel conflict between nations, as well as contribute to human rights violations and other forms of discrimination. Racism can also lead to a lack of understanding and cooperation between different countries, which can compromise international peace and security. Finally, racism can prevent individuals from participating fully in the international community, hindering the effectiveness of diplomacy and other forms of communication. Taken together, these impacts can have significant consequences for the overall stability of the global system.
Conclusion
A pandemic such as COVID-19 could present a number of challenges to conventional ways of theorizing international relations. For example, a pandemic could lead to increased economic nationalism as countries attempt to protect their interests, which could in turn lead to conflict. A pandemic could also create humanitarian crises that challenge the legitimacy of international organizations and institutions. Further, the pandemic could have a significant impact on the way people behave, potentially leading to changes in social norms and politics. On the positive side, a global pandemic such as COVID-19 could lead to a reassessment of the role of the state in international relations, as states work together to try to contain the spread of the disease. Further, the spread of a pandemic could lead to new forms of cooperation between states, as they work together to provide assistance to affected populations. Taken together, these factors could lead to a number of unforeseen consequences for international relations. The COVID-19 has had a significant impact on trade and international relations, and it is still ongoing. Continued monitoring is needed to ensure that this impact does not become too severe. Businesses have been forced to suspend operations in many countries, which has resulted in a decrease in production and exports.
References
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