Europe, Asia and their post-pandemic future

There will be no returning to ‘business as usual’ after the COVID-19 crisis. But regardless of what the post-pandemic world holds, one thing is clear: no country will be able to survive and thrive on its own. On 27 May, a few months ahead of the biennial Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit, an international panel of experts joined Friends of Europe for the online debate ‘Europe, Asia and their post-pandemic future’ to discuss the future of relations between the two.

Beyond the immediate epidemiological and economic consequences, the outbreak of COVID-19 has also served to exacerbate existing trends and inequalities, lending new urgency to finding solutions. A global leadership vacuum and a fragilised multilateral system are two such issues.

“There has been a bit less of a coherent response to this crisis compared to other crises like the financial crisis or the SARS epidemic,” observed Bart Gaens, Senior Research Fellow at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs. “I think there’s really a need for Europe and Asia to come together and make a strong stance against unilateralism and for multilateralism.”

With support for full-blown multilateralism waning, so-called ‘minilateralism’ may be the way forward in the interim – whether through increasing regionalism or intra-regionalism like ASEM.

“In the absence of global leadership, the rest of the world – and that includes all of us here – needs to step up with what I always call functional or issue-based leadership,” said Yeo Lay Hwee, Director of Nanyang Technological University’s European Union Centre. “To exercise this leadership through various constellations of what we call coalitions of the willing.”

Zhang Lirong, Secretary-General of the China Forum at Tsinghua University’s Center for International Security and Strategy, agreed: “I think regional organisations like ASEAN and the EU, and international organisations – like the United Nations, WTO and the economic organisations – will have a bigger role to play. And Asia and Europe – or China and Europe – will have to support those organisations and regional arrangements to function better.”

As the world faces the most severe economic downturn since the Great Depression, it will be vital to defend international cooperation and free and fair trade. “COVID-19 is significantly changing the external and internal environments. We see this with the recent escalation of regionalisation of the supply chain – localisation of the supply chain,” said Chi Fulin, President of the China Institute for Reform and Development (CIRD).

With its far-reaching effects, the pandemic has proven above all to be an issue of human security. Any and all measures taken should approach it from this angle. “Let us start with the human security first,” suggested Ummu Salma Bava, Jean Monnet Chair and Professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University’s Centre for European Studies. “Let’s place that at the centre of the equation. Health, migration, climate and trade will then automatically be a part of the solution.”

As long as these issues are not all taken into account, there remains the risk that some countries will consider retreating within their borders and decoupling from the world stage. “I fear, nevertheless, that depending on how long this pandemic goes on, we are as well in the danger of nationalism and protectionism,” said Jo Leinen, former Chair of the European Parliament Delegation for relations with the People’s Republic of China (2014-2019).

Despite the challenges, many see hope for a brighter future and deeper cooperation. “I think in these days and dangerous times it’s the positivity and the constructive approach rather than these geopolitical blame games that is a winner,” said Shada Islam, Director of Europe & Geopolitics at Friends of Europe.

Akiko Fukushima, Senior Fellow at the Tokyo Foundation for Policy Research agreed: “The coronavirus did not bring crisis alone. It is offering new opportunities for us to work together… The November meeting of ASEM would be a great platform for us to show what we mean by our cooperation.”

Panellists concluded with the shared hope that this year’s ASEM Meeting, taking place under the theme of ‘Strengthening multilateralism for shared growth’, could be an opportunity to deliver strong messages on multilateralism, sustainable development, digital innovation and public health partnerships.