News Snapshot:
The Covid-19 pandemic has provided a window of opportunity for China to exert its international leadership and influence – one Beijing has used to turn the crisis into a diplomatic and strategic opportunity in mainland Southeast Asia. Public health diplomacy has become one of the key sources of China’s soft power projection, enhancing its image and influence, even though it is clear that China’s intentions are not completely altruistic, and it has other strategic intentions with regards to these measures. Cambodia and Laos have been most receptive to China’s public health diplomacy, including its vaccine diplomacy, while Thailand and Myanmar...
