Virus and Politics

Virus and Politics

Globe

Issue 7， 2020

Fighting against the novel coronavirus may turn out to be a watershed in the development of world history， exerting an extensive and profound impact on the international political and economic landscape.

During the post-epidemic stage， public health issues， like climate change， will become an important agenda in contemporary society， deeply influencing the logic of globalization. The World Health Organization may occupy an equally significant position with the International Monetary Fund， the World Bank， and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in the future.

Thomas L. Friedman， a U.S. economist and author of The World Is Flat： A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century， noted that the global anti-epidemic drive will be epoch-making， and that the world history will be categorized into two periods， the world B.C.- Before Corona - and the world A.C. - After Corona. He remarked that in the days to come， people will need to adjust the cultural structure， which currently features emphasis on freedom rather than rules. It is a great satire on the capitalist system， boasting freedom and democracy.

The evolution of the epidemic into a global public health crisis is， to some extent， a reflection of the profound changes taking place in a century. An increasing number of people have realized that the community of a shared future for mankind is the only correct option people have to cope with these profound changes.

Economy： Another Global Anti-Epidemic Battlefield

Xinmin Weekly

Issue 12， 2020

People living in 2020 have obviously been alerted to the outbreak of a new “World War，” and almost all countries have been invaded by the novel coronavirus， an invisible enemy.

Why did the U.S. and European countries refrain from taking the initiative to prepare for the raid of the virus in advance？ Predicting such a crisis， whether for the transnational financial capital or industrial capital of Western countries， will be a selfimposed death penalty. Consequently， the U.S. and European countries averted any concrete actions and waited in an illusory expectation that the novel coronavirus would ultimately perish in China.

As a result， the novel coronavirus suddenly broke through the defense lines of all Western countries and ravaged the world. In just 10 days or so， the U.S. stock market triggered an automatic halt four times. All of a sudden， the virus plunged all Western interest groups into an inferno.

On March 26， 2020， world leaders attending the G20 emergency video summit announced an injection of over US $5 trillion into the global economy， and a united front had formed in the international community.

This unprecedented “World War” is profoundly transforming the existing mode of tomorrows world， changing peoples cognition of the future international communities in the East and the West， and changing the upcoming prospects of human ideals. It is likely to be the beginning of a new reexamination of human destiny since the Renaissance from the 14th to 16th centuries.

2020： Achieving Decisive Victory in the Battle against Poverty

Minsheng Weekly

Issue 5， 2020

The year 2020 marks the closing year of completing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all aspects and the 13th Five-Year Plan period （2016-20）. Winning the battle against poverty is the top priority of building a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way.

China has managed to cut down the poverty-afflicted population by more than 10 million each year for seven consecutive years， and reduced the poverty headcount ratio from 10.2 percent to 0.6 percent. By the end of 2019， more than 95 percent of the countrys poor had been lifted out of poverty.

On the one hand， formidable tasks in the finishing stage of the poverty-combating drive remain； on the other hand， the sudden assault of novel coronavirus epidemic brings new difficulties and challenges.

On March 6， a symposium on securing a decisive victory in poverty alleviation was held in Beijing， the largest of its kind since the 18th CPC National Congress.

President Xi Jinping stressed that lifting all rural residents living below the current poverty line out of poverty by the end of 2020 is a solemn promise that was made by the CPC Central Committee， and it must be fulfilled on time. He also pointed out Party committees and governments at all levels should push forward the poverty-alleviation drive with greater determination and strength， resolutely overcome impacts of the novel coronavirus epidemic， and win the battle against poverty in an all-round way.

Eurasian Economic Union： a Success Story？

World Affairs

Issue 6， 2020

In January 2015， the Eurasian Economic Union （EAEU） was established. In the past five years， the organization for economic integration has made steady progress， overcoming the differences in geopolitical strategic interests， economic development levels， resources and market endowments， and other aspects among member countries.

Instead of “copying” the institutional design of the European Community as did in building the former Commonwealth of Independent States and the Eurasian Economic Community， the EAEU features an institution that is more in line with the domestic political ecology and foreign strategic demands of the member states.

In order to ensure the equal status of the member states in the alliance and eliminate their concerns of the member states about the loss of their sovereign rights and interests in the process of jointly promoting regional integration with Russia， the principle of the “consensus of all” was made an institutional arrangement，

China is the largest neighbor of the EAEU and the two sides have overlapping interests. Aligning the Silk Road Economic Belt with the EAEU initiatives in May 2015 marked an innovative measure to upgrade the relations among China， Russia， and other Eurasian countries and strengthen regional governance. “One belt and one alliance”cooperation is a rational choice for China and Russia to realize interest integration， and promote regional governance in the Eurasian region where the two sides have overlapping interests. It is also an extension of the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership in this region.