Kazakhs are Wary of Neighbours Bearing Gifts
We asked ordinary people in Kazakhstan which great power they liked most. Despite its assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic, China didn’t do so well.
By Marlene Laruelle, Gerard Toal, John O’Loughlin, Kristin M. Bakke
Published by Open Democracy
The COVID-19 pandemic has sparked a new front in great power competition — global health posturing. Whether it is assigning blame, providing medical aid, or modelling the most effective response, great powers are waging an information war against each other. China is aggressively defending its crisis management methods in the face of rising criticism from the international community. Alongside its “face mask diplomacy,” China is touting its governance model as the most efficient in dealing with crisis situations. But how well positioned was China before the crisis really hit?
