Health Diplomacy and Crisis Management during COVID-19: Analyzing Chinese Influence and Economic Implications in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Italy

Authors

  • Matteo Maria Cati Department of Economics, University of Bologna, Italy Author

Keywords:

Health Diplomacy, Central Asia, Caucasus, Chinese Influence, Covid-19 Crisis Management

Abstract

This article investigate the role of health diplomacy in shaping the responses to the COViD - 19 pandemic in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Italy, with a particular focus on the influence of Chinese strategies and their economic implications. Through a comparative theoretical analysis, the study explores how these regions managed the crisis, hightlighting the intersection of healthcare policies, crisis management strategies, and international diplomacy. The findings demostrate the significant impact of of Chinese health diplomacy, particularly thorugh vaccine distribution and medical aid, on the healthcare responses in Central Asia and the Caucasus, and to a lesser extent in Italy. The economic ramificaionts of these diplomatic efforts are also examined, revealing how health diplomacy has come to a pivotal tool in global health governance and regional influence. The article concludes with policy recommendations, emphasizing the need for strengthened health diplomacy and international cooperation in future global health crises. 

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Katsuma, Y. (2023). Global Health Diplomacy to Combat Communicable Diseases and to Promote Universal Health Coverage in Achieving the Sustainable Development Goal 3. In: Urata, S., Kuroda, K., Tonegawa, Y. (eds) Sustainable Development Disciplines for Humanity. Sustainable Development Goals Series. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978- 981-19-4859-6_2

Laruelle, M. (2021). Covid – 19 Pandemic and Central Asia – Crisis Management, Economic Impact, and Social Transformations, Marlene Laruelle, editor. Washington, D.C.: The George Washington University, Central Asia Program.

Sanfelici, M. (2020). The Italian Response to the COVID-19 Crisis: Lessons Learned and Future Direction in Social Development. The International Journal of Community and Social Development, 2(2), 191-210. https://doi.org/10.1177/2516602620936037

Zeng, W., Ding, M., Liu, H. (2023). China’s health silk road construction during the COVID- 19 pandemic. Global Public Health, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/17441692.2023.2185799

Petraglia, C., Scalera, D., & Monti, A. C. (2022). The economic effects of Covid-19 in Italian regions. Evidence, expectations, policies. In The regional challenges in the post-Covid era (pp. 125-146). Franco Angeli.

Wong BLH, Nordström A, Piot P, et al. From polycrisis to metacrisis: harnessing windows of opportunity for renewed political leadership in global health diplomacy. BMJ Glob Health 2024;9:e015340. doi:10.1136/ bmjgh-2024-015340

Jing, Y., et al. (2023). China’s Health Diplomacy in Europe: The Case of Italy during COVID-

Journal of Contemporary China, 32(1), 45-62.

Kickbusch, I., Nikogosian H., Kazatchkine M., Kökény M. (2021). A Guide to Global Health Diplomacy. Better health – improved global solidarity – more equity. The Graduate Institute Geneva - Global Health Centre - Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies – Switzerland.

Laruelle, M. (2022). China’s Belt and Road Initiative in Central Asia: Health Diplomacy du- ring the COVID-19 Pandemic. Journal of Eurasian Studies, 13(1), 14-32.

Stock, H. (2023). The Implications of Politicizing Global Health Diplomacy in a Multipolar World. Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection. 3725. https://digitalcollec- tions.sit.edu/isp_collection/3725

Balakrishnan, V. S. (2020). COVID-19 response in central Asia. The Lancet Microbe, Volume 1, Issue 7, e281. DOI: 10.1016/S2666-5247(20)30177-4

UNDP (2020). Covid – 19 and Central Asia: Socio Economic Impacts and Key Policy Consi- derations for Recovery. United Nations Development Programs (UNDP). https://www.undp.org/eurasia/publications/covid-19-and-central-asia-socio-economic-im-

pacts-and-key-policy-considerations-recovery

Lehman D. (2021) The State of the Covid 19 Pandemic in Central Asia. Caspian Policy Center. https://www.caspianpolicy.com/research/energy-and-economy-program-eep/the-state-of-the- covid-19-pandemic-in-central-asia

Lee ST. (2023). Vaccine diplomacy: nation branding and China’s COVID-19 soft power play. Place Brand Public Dipl.;19(1):64–78. doi: 10.1057/s41254-021-00224-4. Epub 2021 Jul 6. PMCID: PMC8259554.

Liu, L.; Huang, Y.; Jin, J. (2022) China’s Vaccine Diplomacy and Its Implications for Global Health Governance. Healthcare 2022, 10, 1276.https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10071276

Vadlamannati KC, Jung YS. (2023) The political economy of vaccine distribution and China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Business and Politics.;25(1):67-88. doi:10.1017/bap.2022.26

Kirgizov-Barskii, A.V., Morozov, V.M., 2022. Vaccine Diplomacy and Vaccine Nationa- lism. Russia in Global Affairs, 20(3), pp. 162-181. DOI: 10.31278/1810-6374-2022-20-3- 162-181

Garcia-Herrero, A. and Schindowski, R. (2023). Global trends in countries' perceptions of the belt and road initiative. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4434844

Andreozzi, V., Marzilli, F., Medvedec, M., Previ, L., Cantagalli, M. R., Princi, G., … & Fer- retti, A. (2021). The impact of covid-19 on orthopaedic trauma: a retrospective comparative study from a single university hospital in italy. Orthopedic Reviews, 12(4). https://doi.org/10.4081/or.2020.8941

Jang, S. Y., Hussain-Alkhateeb, L., Ramírez, T. R., Al-Aghbari, A. A., Chackalackal, D. J., Cardenas-Sanchez, R., … & Kroeger, A. (2021). Factors shaping the covid-19 epidemic curve: a multi-country analysis. BMC Infectious Diseases, 21(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879- 021-06714-3

Yuan, S. (2023). The Health Silk Road: A Double-Edged Sword? Assessing the Implications of China’s Health Diplomacy. World 4, no. 2: 333-346. https://doi.org/10.3390/world4020021

Chen, W. A. (2021). Covid-19 and china’s changing soft power in italy. Chinese Political Science Review, 8(3), 440-460. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41111-021-00184-3

Wouters, O. J., Shadlen, K. C., Salcher‐Konrad, M., Pollard, A. J., Larson, H., Teerawattana- non, Y., … & Jit, M. (2021). Challenges in ensuring global access to covid-19 vaccines: pro- duction, affordability, allocation, and deployment. The Lancet, 397(10278), 1023-1034. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(21)00306-8

Kartodirdjo, A. & Rahman, M.S.A. (2024) China's Health Diplomacy Strategy During CO- VID-19 Crisis 2020-2022. Insignia: Journal of International Relations, [S.l.], v. 11, n. 1, p. 93- 107, june 2024. ISSN 2597-9868. Available at: <https://jos.unsoed.ac.id/index.php/insi- gnia/article/view/11296>.

Zubair, Bilal & Waseem, Sibra & Shahid, Khushbakht. (2023). Soft Power and Vaccine Di- plomacy: An Analysis of China's Global Image Enhancement during the COVID-19 Pande- mic. BTTN Journal. 2. 104-129. 10.61732/bj.v2i2.73.

Zhang, D., Jamali, A.B. (2022) China’s “Weaponized” Vaccine: Intertwining Between Inter- national and Domestic Politics. East Asia 39, 279–296. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12140-021- 09382-x

Mirza, M. N., Abbas, H., & Nizamani, M. Q. (2020). Evaluating china's soft power discourse: assumptions, strategies, and objectives. Global Strategic &Amp; Securities Studies Review, V(IV), 40-50. https://doi.org/10.31703/gsssr.2020(v-iv).05

Jakusné, É. H. and Murányi, E. (2022). What is vaccine diplomacy?. Acta Universitatis Sa- pientiae, Communicatio, 9(1), 79-89. https://doi.org/10.2478/auscom-2022-0006

Zhang, P. (2021). Study on the experience of public health system construction in china's co- vid-19 prevention. Frontiers in Public Health, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2021.610824

Chekijian, S. (2021). Emergency systems in the republic of armenia: country in crisis or land of opportunity. European Journal of Emergency Medicine, 28(5), 337-338. https://doi.org/10.1097/mej.0000000000000831

Sankova, M. V., Николенко, В., Литвинова, Т. Н., Volel, B. A., Oganesyan, M. V., Vovkogon,

A. D., … & Sinelnikov, M. Y. (2023). Vaccination as a significant factor influencing the psy- choemotional state of medical students during the sars-cov-2 pandemic: an international aspect. Clinical Practice &Amp; Epidemiology in Mental Health, 19(1). https://doi.org/10.2174/1745-0179-v19-e230420-2022-49

Landini, I. and Sicurelli, D. (2023). Covax versus sinovac: a test for the legitimacy of the world health organization in south east asia. The British Journal of Politics and International Relations, 26(2), 236-253. https://doi.org/10.1177/13691481231217427

Pattanshetty, S., Inamdar, A., Bhatt, K., Dsouza, V. S., Prem, A., & Brand, H. (2023). Mapping capacity building programs in health diplomacy: relevance and application in an uncertain world. F1000Research, 12, 820. https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.134689.1

Downloads

Published

2024-09-16

How to Cite

Cati, M. M. (2024). Health Diplomacy and Crisis Management during COVID-19: Analyzing Chinese Influence and Economic Implications in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Italy. CENTRAL ASIA AND THE CAUCASUS, 25(1), 27-35. https://ca-c.org/CAC/index.php/cac/article/view/1864

Plaudit

Similar Articles

11-20 of 1147

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.