LETTER | The hour-long speech by China's President Xi Jinping at the nation's centennial celebrations demands a serious examination by all leaders of nations and organisations - East and West, North and South.
Rich and poor countries, and especially third and fourth world nations, need to reappraise their political leanings in this climate of Covid-19 pandemic which looks set to become a catalyst for potentially redefining the global political orientation of the future.
Countries whose independence declarations and federal constitutions are anchored in democracy in particular must converge, as otherwise, the consequences of Covid-19 will be a perfect climate for the advancement of communist ideologies helmed by China.
The health pandemic has exposed the vulnerability of human civilization vis-à-vis political ideologies, unprecedented since the Cold War.
As countries buckle under the weight of vaccine cartels, the affordability to purchase by choice, and the easy recourse to vaccine diplomacy, leaders need to be vigilant to the fact that these circumstances are perfect conditions for the successful fortification of democracy, or the undeterred, onward advancing of communism in the world.
Indeed, what we are witnessing is a subtle, silent revolution taking shape.
As economies collapse under the pressures exerted by the pandemic's standard operating procedures and 'new normal' requirements, it is a known secret that many countries that were inclined towards western leadership and democracy are seeking out the economic and health diplomacies offered by the communist blocks.
While private, free-market, and for-profit enterprises in the democratic belt are driving the global vaccination programme, China is at a greater advantage with its arsenal of state-sponsored socio-economic and political health packages.
What will the democracies do?
Will they under the domestic pressures of Covid-19 fence up and focus on protecting their own citizens, thereby leaving the poorer nations to turn to China?
The very fact that Covid-19 is also witnessing various degrees of regimentation, authoritarianism and illegitimate governments taking power in countries that flew the democracy flags before the pandemic should be a central concern among the developed, democratic nations and especially the US.
Indeed, leaving the Covid-19 battle plan response to free-market enterprise was a tragic strategy by the US, to begin with.
Likewise, the United Nations may be finding itself in an embarrassing situation with China being in the chair.
And the World Health Organisation, which is sympathetically funded by China, may equally be in a quandary as the world increasingly witnesses the creeping presence of a clash of civilizations - where democracy and communism are pitted one against the other.
The Covid-19 is well and far beyond mere health predicaments. That is only the canopy.
Beneath that dome of global pandemic is a fierce war to conquer wealth and ideologies through economic and health diplomacies.
Nations have to wake up to this reality. Leaders have a moral responsibility as they are now called to national duty.
Religious leaders have to come out of their shells of prayer, after-life preoccupations, and silent hopes and instead participate in this 'war' against communist advancements as communism does not recognise religious fervour.
Civil society leaders and professional bodies have a significant role to play as catalysts and vanguards in ensuring democracies in their nations are fortified.
The excessive use of police and military force against citizens in the name of Covid-19 is also a dangerous manifestation that needs attention in the democratic sphere.
We are fast gyrating to a critical point in human history that will define whether the world will strengthen its democratic philosophies or make way for the advancement of a communist/socialist restructuring of capitalism and the free-market enterprise fundamentals.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.
