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On the missing United Nations, noting the Security Council will finally discuss the coronavirus pandemic today but with little expectation it will help. politico.eu/article/the-un…
Now I keep seeing reference to on and off lockdowns continuing until there's a vaccine, but I haven't seen an estimate for the time to develop, approve, then manufacture and administer ~5 billion (?) doses. That will need serious global cooperation.
Then there are the occasionally rather worrying research stories like this, for beyond the great power bickering we have thousands of scientists globally trying to learn as much as we can. Global cooperation in science but not in politics. scmp.com/news/china/sci…
Even more heretical thought / question - how would any other country to China have handled the initial coronavirus outbreak? Perfectly? I rather doubt it, not least when we see how others handled it when reaching their territory...
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David Henig
@DavidHenigUK
"Thinking" is perhaps generous if this is what it entails. But sure, make the biggest changes to UK government functioning and UK trade in the middle of a unprecedented national and global crisis. "Brave" as they used to say.
The most "fundamental policy problem" the UK government has yet to decide is if its prepared to make concessions in return for trade deals. That applies to the US (food), EU (level playing field), Japan (car tariffs?) etc.
Then there are the numerous individual policy decisions to be taken in a trade agreement. Individual rules of origin, levels of inspection, rights to temporary workers, the way government regulates. All to be decided on current plan in the middle of a pandemic.
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David Henig
@DavidHenigUK
Are global institutions sacrosanct? In my view the political factors which prevent them operating effectively will also prevent their effective replacement, therefore we are best preserving them while seeking deeper bilateral and plurilateral cooperation where possible.
What is the alternative to global institutions when China, EU, US, UK, India, Brazil etc all consider themselves to be exceptionalist, but we do need to debate this because just talking about WTO or whichever institution "reform" somewhat misses the bigger play.
Absolutely this...
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David Henig
@DavidHenigUK
So where is the coronavirus crisis taking UK international relations, given an EU we're prepared to leave without a trade deal in December, increasing Conservative Party dissent over China relations, and a US actively attacking multilateral cooperation?
Who are the UK's international friends and allies now? Clearly no EU Member States, much to the horror of the likes of Sweden. Canada, Australia and New Zealand? All a long way away, all prioritising managing relations with their neighbours.
The government has a commitment that 80% of the UKs trade will be covered by Free Trade Agreement in three years. How does that work with walking away from talks with the EU (~50%)? But how does a US deal sit with UK food security or the fight against climate change?
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