RightfromtheinitialdaysoftheCOVID-19pandemic,ChinahasbeenstigmatizedbysomeWesterncountries,especiallytheUnitedStates,withmanypeopleofChineseoriginbecomingthetargetofhatecrimes.

Hate-mongersinsomeWesterncountries,theUSinparticular,usedthepandemicasanexcusetotargetpeopleofAsian,especiallyChinese,origin.TheyblamedpeopleofAsianoriginforthespreadofthenovelcoronavirus.Worse,previousUSpresidentDonaldTrumpplayedakeyroleinincreasingracistattacksbylabelingthenovelcoronavirusasthe"Chinesevirus".

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"Peoplefirst"hasremainedatthecoreofChina"sCOVID-19responseoverthepastthreeyears,duringwhichthevirusmutatedmanytimesandthepandemicsituationgotfrombadtoworsebeforeimproving.YettheworseningpandemicsituationalsospurreddifferentgovernmentsandpharmaceuticalcompaniestoinvestmoreresourcesandusemorescientificmindstodevelopvaccinesandprescribethetreatmentforCOVID-19patients.AsforChina,thepandemicnotonlypromptedittodevelopCOVID-19vaccinesbutalsoprovidefreevaccinationforallChinesecitizens.

ButwithChinaliftingalmostallanti-pandemicrestrictionsonJan8,somecountries,includingtheUnitedStatesandtheUnitedKingdom,reintroducedcompulsorypre-flightCOVID-19testsforChinesevisitors,whilecountriessuchasJapan,theRepublicofKoreaandItaly,nowrequireChinesevisitorstoundergoCOVID-19testsonarrivalandquarantineiftheytestpositive.

TheWorldHealthOrganizationhassaidthatitisveryconcernedaboutreportsofrisingnumberofseverecasesinChinaafterthecountryabandonedthedynamicclearingCOVID-19policy.

MostcountrieshavenotannouncednewentryrequirementsforChinesevisitors,andaselectfewhaveruledthemoutentirely,includingPolandandBulgariawhichrefusedtotoetheEuropeanUnion"slineonentryrequirementsforChinesevisitors.

TheUShasmadeitmandatoryforChinesevisitorstotakeanRT-PCRtestlessthan48hoursbeforeboardingaflightandtestnegativetogainentryintothecountryfromJan5.ChinafullyopeneditsbordersfromJan8,welcomingvisitorswithoutmandatoryquarantineandallowingChinesecitizenstotravelabroad.

AttheHongKongairport,hundredsofpeoplewererecentlyseenwaitingtocheckinforflightstocitiesontheChinesemainland,butthearrivalshallwasrelativelyquiet.ManyofHongKong"sbordercheckpointswerefullyopened,asweretransportationhallsandshutteredstorefronts.

Giventhepresentsituation,therefore,Chinamayfirstnormalizeeconomictieswithsomecountries,includingBeltandRoadcountries,beforeitdoessowithWesternnationstoestablishachannelforthenormalmovementofpeopleandgoods.

TheGlobalNorthisalsotryingtoreduceChina"sexpandingglobalpresenceinthefieldsofinfrastructureandtechnology.Forexample,theG7SummitinJune2022launcheda$600billionfundtomobilizeinvestmentinglobalinfrastructureprojectsasananswertotheBeltandRoadInitiative.ButtheG7"sendeavorisadecadetoolateandshortofbillionsofdollars,becausetheChina-proposedinitiativewaslaunchedin2013andcompletedorisworkingonprojectsworthmorethan$4trillion.

Therearealsopresentationproblems.Theindustrializedcountriesclaimtheyarebandingtogethertodefenduniversalvalues,underpinningaliberalworldorder.ButChinaandRussiaarguethattheindustrializedcountriesaretryingtorebuildahierarchybasedonimperialismandwhitesupremacy.OpinionpollsintheGlobalSouthshowtheargumentsofRussiaandChinahavefoundareceptiveaudience.EvenwithintheGlobalNorth,manycountriesbelieveunilateralUSactionsarealienatingsomeoftheirbusinesspartners.Infact,theUS"restrictionsontechnologyexportstoChinawilldealanotherbigblowtothebiggesttechenterprisesintheROK,JapanandtheEU.

TheGlobalNorthisalsoworriedthatChinamightendupcontrollingthetechnologiesofthefutureandbuildingwhatoneseniorUSofficialsaidwas"aterrifyingsurveillanceautocracy"withaworldwidereach.

Tobesure,thepandemichasintensifiedthecompetitionbetweenChinaandtheUS,andtheUShasbeenbadmouthingandstigmatizingChinainthehopethatitwillhelpitemergevictoriousinthecompetition.Butthatmightnothappen.

TheauthorisanindependentexpertininternationalrelationsbasedinNepal.

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