Evaluating China’s Vaccine Diplomacy in ASEAN

Abstract

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccine diplomacy has emerged as a pivotal strategy for nations to advance their diplomatic agendas and address global health challenges. Current discussions on the topic of vaccine diplomacy in the field of international relations tend to focus on analyses related to geopolitics, credibility concerns and strategic economic interests. This study evaluates the efficacy of China's vaccine diplomacy within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in promoting China's international image and strengthening bilateral relations. Research shows that there is an overall positive correlation between China's vaccine supply and the increase in ASEAN countries' favorability towards China. However, this correlation is not always consistent across all bilateral relationships. While China's vaccine diplomacy has improved relations with some ASEAN countries, its overall effectiveness has been uneven and limited by contextual factors. Therefore, China’s vaccine diplomacy in the context of ASEAN can only be regarded as a partial success. This study contributes to a broader understanding of international cooperation and health diplomacy by demonstrating that vaccine diplomacy is a multifaceted tool that has different impacts on country image-building and diplomatic relations.