Southeast Asia Was Impacted Greatly by the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) in 2020
NIDS East Asian Strategic Review 2021 Summary Southeast Asia was impacted greatly by the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in 2020. In Indonesia and the Philippines, infections continued to spread or level off even into the start of 2021. While some countries in the region largely contained new infections, others experienced a resurgence of cases from the second half of 2020. In the region as a whole, there is no sign of the pandemic ending. Measures taken in response to COVID-19, such as border closures, city-wide lockdowns, and other restrictions, had serious repercussions on domestic economies with the poor particularly hit hard. At the same time, some governments resorted to authoritarian approaches under the pretext of the response to COVID-19, raising concerns about the impact on democratic practices that have been implemented in the countries. Although the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) played a role as a platform for international support to deal with COVID-19, its role as an independent actor to deal with problems was limited. Notwithstanding the pandemic, the situation in the South China Sea remained tense as China’s activities to claim its rights unfolded with a greater show of force. Southeast Asian countries responded militarily and diplomatically to the extent possible, taking into account the disparity in their forces with China’s and the impact on economic relations. Western countries, on the other hand, became increasingly wary of China’s actions, and the United States in particular embraced a more active engagement on this issue. As differences in opinion between the United States and China become prominent in the ASEAN diplomatic arena, the organization appears to be distancing itself from this great power competition.
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