Chinese Vaccine Diplomacy in the Eastern Mediterranean: Continuities and Rupture in Beijing’s Soft Power Prospects

ÜNGÖR SUNAR Ç.

Contemporary Review of the Middle East, cilt.10, sa.1, ss.62-83, 2023 (ESCI) identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 10 Sayı: 1
  • Basım Tarihi: 2023
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1177/23477989221143276
  • Dergi Adı: Contemporary Review of the Middle East
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), Scopus
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.62-83
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: China, Eastern Mediterranean, Egypt, Lebanon, Palestinian territories, soft power, Syria, Turkiye, vaccine diplomacy, SILK ROAD
  • Marmara Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

© The Author(s) 2023.This article examines China’s vaccine drive in Eastern Mediterranean countries of Türkiye, Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, and the Palestinian territories during 2020–2021 from a soft power angle. 1 Although Chinese COVID-19 era health diplomacy is presented as a major breakthrough in the West, this study argues that continuities are more visible in the Eastern Mediterranean context with regard to China’s discourse and diplomatic practices. Beijing invested in the existing notions of propaganda, such as solidarity with developing countries, anti-Americanism, and economic partnership. In assessing the impact of Chinese vaccine diplomacy in the Eastern Mediterranean, the study investigates major diplomatic events and concludes that China could not improve its image in Türkiye in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.