March 2020

As cases of COVID-19 have increased, the pandemic has accordingly become the main topic of discussion in the media of the wider Mediterranean region as many are worried about the health and economic damages that it will cause. Indeed, regardless of the geographical position, there has emerged a region-wide consensus that the pandemic broke out in a moment of extreme social and economic fragility. It is against this background that China is, for some, a savior and, for others, a cynical power.

In general criticism against China—either regarding how it managed the outbreak of COVID-19 or for problems related to its assistance to other countries—is more widespread in Southern Europe, though we found very blunt attacks also in North African and Middle Eastern newspapers. Unsurprisingly, given the substantial attention observed by Chinese and Western media, Italy is one of the countries where the debate on the coronavirus is most closely connected to the discussion related to the country’s relations with China. The Chinese embassy in Rome has made significant public relations efforts in order to show how quick and effective is Chinese solidarity. As the Chinese ambassador Li Junhua emphasized, this is a special year for the Sino-Italian relations (the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations) and China wants to express its support for Italy. [1] Yet, as it has happened before, Italian journalists have questioned the sincerity of Chinese help and consequently attacked politicians, like Foreign Affairs Minister Luigi Di Maio, that have praised China. The Minister, in particular, was criticized for having fallen prey to Chinese propaganda, trying to take credit for the arrival of Chinese gears that, in reality, had been bought. [2] They were not donations. The so-called “Chinese model”, that part of the Italian political establishment described as effective, also came under attack as it remains unclear if the stringent quarantine measures really contained the pandemic. [3] Warnings launched by the Italian security services, further confirmed by independent studies, also indicate that Italy has been at the center a concerted influence campaign launched by Chinese and Russian actors. [4] Besides political influence, there is widespread fear that foreign investors, both European and non-European ones, might act on the weakness of many Italian companies to buy them. The security services have been placing pressure on the government also over this issue in order to approve more stringent controls. [5] China is always mentioned as the potential target of these measures as the controversies related to medical assistance undermine Beijing’s public relations efforts.

In comparison, the level of politicization seems far lower in Spain and Greece. Although Chinese medical equipment has been found ineffective, [6] the concerns for the economic impact of the pandemic on both countries dominate the debate. Like in Italy, Spanish and Greek newspapers write of imminent recession caused by the quarantine and the severe decrease of trade with other countries. [7] The Athens-based newspaper Kathimerini wrote that the activities of the Piraeus Port have been slowing down significantly. [8] In part, this is because much of the goods arriving there were shipped from China and the block of the economy caused by the quarantine has had a naturally negative effect. However, the port also plays a pivotal role in the Mediterranean maritime economy as the many other ports in the region and northern Europe are implementing new measures to slowdown the loading and offloading of goods from the ships. Italian ports, according to the article, are in a worse situation because no ship wants to dock in fear of being forced to quarantine for 14 days elsewhere if the next port’s authorities know that the ship previously docked in Italy.

In reviewing the topic in North Africa and the Middle East, we found that the arrival of the coronavirus is seen both as a disaster and as the harbinger of a new regional order. In some countries, like Morocco, [9] Chinese companies supply important components for local manufacturers and many will have to reduce or halt their activities because of the interruption of the production in China. Oil-producing countries are forced to reconsider their financial plans as coronavirus-induced economic crisis pushes down the demand for oil. Kuwait, for example, loses USD 13 million a day for this reason. [10] In Iran, although Chinese solidarity is greatly appreciated, [11] the situation is becoming desperate to the extent that some publicly suggested the use of money from institutions like the Mostazafan Foundation, that are the financial pillars of the offices of the Supreme Leader or the Islamic Revolutionary Guard, in order to allow the economy to recover. [12] Another article published by Tabnak News Agency foresees a future of economic recession, war, and famine. [13] In other countries, China’s reaction to the outbreak of the virus and its assistance are seen as evidences of the end of American-led globalization and regional order. Unsurprisingly, Syrian media are among the strongest supporters of this argument. According to Al-Watan, the measures enacted by China are a model to emulate. Moreover, not only does Chinese assistance put the Americans and Europeans to shame, but it is also consistent with the values of Islam. This religious element in the Middle Eastern debate is not new; we found it also in February but instead to criticize China. Less emphatic but still strong endorsements for Chinese actions can be found in Jordan’s Al Dostour, where the leadership of Xi Jinping is highly praised. [14] Palestinian, Lebanese, and Egyptian commentators are all positive in their assessment of Chinese policies at home and abroad. [15] Béchir Ben Yahmed, the founder of the Paris-based, Tunisia-oriented Jeune Afrique, too, expressed his great confidence in the China-World Health Organization partnership to tame the coronavirus, especially because the organization is led by an “African of great qualities” like Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, though he also fears that many African countries do not have the capabilities to imitate China. [16] Against this background, we found only one article explicitly critical of China and the alleged cover-up of the initial warnings launched by doctors in Wuhan. [17]

We close this issue of the ChinaMed Observer with an interesting article published in the Israeli newspaper Globes. [18] The authors, that are aware that their argument might be seen as controversial by many inside and outside the government, embrace the damage that the virus will cause to the Israeli economy for the sake of national security. Indeed, they argue that COVID-19 might be a wake-up call for many to understand that it is necessary to reduce the dependence of the Israeli economy on Chinese capital and markets. If such an adjustment can be made, they emphasize, Israel would also reduce the American concerns related to the presence of Chinese contractors in an important part of the Israeli economy. Given the continuous and intense debate regarding how to balance strategic ties with the United States and florid economic relations with China, this article suggests that COVID-19 might play an unexpectedly determinant role in the evolution of the Sino-Israeli relations as the “pro-business” and the “pro-security” sides of the debate have not yet managed to find and agreement or win the discussion.

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