“What Is Globalization?”/Yang Ruixin —After COVID-19, globalization has entered the glacial age？

What Is Globalization? After Reading：

After COVID-19, globalization has entered the glacial age？

Whether we want to admit it or not, globalization has already profoundly affected the lives of everyone on this planet. In China, everyone has witnessed the birth of an unprecedented world factory in the past three decades; on the other side of the ocean, industrial workers in the American have long disappeared from the golden age. In stark contrast to their loss, Wall Street and the pride of the Silicon Valley elite. The interests of all individuals, groups, and countries are inevitably touched by globalization.

All along, in my impression, the impact of globalization on the world has been very positive, Without a comprehensive understanding of globalization. The understanding of globalization is one-sided, Until I learned more and more knowledge and views through this class, I gradually began to think a lot. I realize that everything is a double-edged sword，There is no only right answer.

Recently I read the article<What Is Globalization?>recommended by the professor, Piotr Konieczny. Frankly, it's hard for me to read this article completely. Because there are a lot of difficult words, and it's not enough to know the meaning of words, there is also a need to supplement knowledge in many unknown areas. It took me a long time to try to understand the author's meaning. The author thinks that there are three core characteristics of globalization. First, globalization mainly has two directions: increasing global connectivity and increasing global common consciousness of the whole world. Second, the operation of globalization is mainly concentrated in four points: nation-state, world politics, individual and human. Third, globalization is made up of four main aspects: cultural, social, political, and economic. I think Roland Robertson and Kathleen E. White’s point is very pertinent, and the evidence their lives is irrefutable.

What struck me most was this part, the author thought this interrelationship between globalization and concern with ‘local identity’ is a very good example of the paradoxical relationship between the nation-state and processes of globalization. And that reminds me of COVID-19，Global COVID-19 and worldwide shortages of medical supplies are sparking a new wave of fears about globalization. this contradiction between globalization and concern with ‘local identity’ is growing.

The global economy has also been hit hard by the COVID-19, Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft, told the Financial Times that it was the worst economic crisis in his life and that the global GDP would suffer an unprecedented blow, possibly worse than the Great Depression.  The global value chain system is undergoing an unprecedented ordeal, For example, Apple phones have been affected by delays in the delivery of components worldwide. The world economic situation under the epidemic is also worrying.

The worst is not the economy, but the deepening of mistrust among nations and doubts about globalization. In the short term, the safety anxiety index of people, governments, enterprises, and media in this major epidemic shows geometric growth. Countries tend to protect themselves, and there is competition for medical supplies between countries. In general, the rise of nationalism, protectionism, and even isolationism can be seen worldwide, and the sense of hostility is rising. This gives the world an unrepeatable opportunity to experience a similar "deglobalization" and all closed-door experience. Does this mean that there is a tendency to reverse or de-globalize in the future?

Although in the epidemic situation, the international community is strengthening cooperation, and people of insight are also very clear that cooperation can be win-win, but the pressure to deal with the crisis and the logic of political operation is constantly encroaching based on this trust and cooperation.

For politicians, provoking racial discrimination and nationalism can divert internal conflicts and cover up their shortcomings. For the people, the unknown and worry lead them to find external enemies, release their fears, contradictions to provide a hotbed of conspiracy theory, so each confident in their gods.

Scholar Michel Gelfand divided the country into two categories, one is "Close", more rules, people are used to being regulated, the other is" loose ", more freedom, more relaxed atmosphere. Facts have proved that "strict rules and order can save lives ". She believes that affected by the epidemic, American politics will move towards a more restrictive culture.

Japan and the United States have recently announced or proposed major subsidies to encourage domestic companies to withdraw from China. In addition to Japan's announcement of a "supply chain reform" program to fund Japanese companies to transfer production lines from China to Japan, White House chief economic adviser Dr. Kudlow suggested that the government pay the full cost of American companies withdrawing from China, including plant, equipment, intellectual property, decoration, etc. However, capital always flows in the direction of easy profit, and external coercive factors can not shake the logic of capital.  China's huge market and industrial chain，make it has lasting attraction. The withdrawal of foreign investment will also hurt the global economy, so there is no large-scale withdrawal. But we can see the trend of policy tightening.

According to Harvard University professor Stephen M.Walt, “the previous world did not usher in a new era of global cooperation because of the plague, nor this time ."Indian scholar Shivshankar Menon also believes that in all political entities, there has been an inward shift to seek control of their destiny. We will move towards a poorer, meaner, and smaller world. As citizens seek government protection, and businesses seek security, we will see globalization shrink further. COVID-19, in short, will create a world of reduced openness, prosperity, and freedom.

Uval, the author of A Brief History of Humanity, has issued a series of articles, fearing that the current lack of international cooperation will not only make it difficult to contain the epidemic but that this negative impact will continue to poison international relations in the coming years. The historian is also concerned that the rapid steps taken by governments will leave many hidden dangers, such as controlling citizens' privacy on health grounds, such as choosing nationalist isolation rather than global solidarity.

It is undeniable that globalization is not perfect, but it is unhelpful if it is simply blamed for the beset the world. History shows that closing borders and stopping trade can not protect us. When goods can not cross the border, soldiers may cross. Even in the Middle Ages, infectious diseases spread rapidly. At the time globalization was not evident ，but spread and spread of the Black Death was blocked?

Today, humanity faces a serious crisis not only because of the COVID-19 itself but also because of the lack of trust between humans. To overcome COVID-19, trust is needed between people and between nations. Without trust and global solidarity, we will not be able to stop COVID-19, there may be more similar epidemics in the future. If the virus brings suspicion and competition, it will be the greatest victory of the virus. When humans blaming each other, the virus is doubling.

It is gratifying that China and South Korea have helped each other in this outbreak，The two countries took the lead in setting up a joint defense and control cooperation mechanism, setting a record of "zero input" of each other's epidemic situation, opening a "fast channel" for the exchange of important and badly needed personnel, and ensuring the stable operation of the economy.  The two countries write a warm chapter of the relationship between the two countries in the process of uniting together against the COVID-19.

South Korea's government and people from all walks of life have offered a helping hand in China's tough fight against the COVID-19. "China's difficulties are our difficulties," the South Korean Embassy in China hung banners expressing support for China's. South Korea many universities hang out "Wuhan refueling, China refueling !" Banners said will stand firmly with Chinese students, together with China's epidemic prevention and control war. South Korea's tallest building Rakuten World Tower for China to light, with the words "Wuhan refueling" and so on. Seoul Mayor said affectionately:" China in South Korea in the Middle East respiratory syndrome when the outbreak of South Korea to help South Korea, it is time to South Korea's' return." In addition to donations, Seoul also circulates videos in support of China's anti-epidemic in outdoor screens and subway stations.“At this moment, Seoul is standing with China in trouble ." The video uses Chinese and Korean bilingual words to warm the heart.

After the outbreak of the Korean epidemic, the Chinese government and local governments and enterprises have also donated materials to the Korean side to express condolences and support for the Korean side in fighting the epidemic. The Chinese embassy donated masks to Daegu and Seoul, and hung a banner "year-old pine and cypress, long forget each other ." In the face of the epidemic,，China-ROK cooperation and confrontation COVID-19, fruitful, not only served the overall situation of the two countries but also accumulated useful experience for global anti-epidemic, set a model of international cooperation.

From closed to open is the basic track of human life, production, and development. Globalization will change after the COVID-19, but it is only a matter of speculation. People may temporarily return to their regions, countries, cities, or villages for self-protection because of the threat of infectious diseases, but they can not always be isolated. In the face of disaster, it may also face extinction because of the lack of external assistance. If the food crisis occurs, the lack of external assistance and support may face a humanitarian disaster. What's more, the global climate change Challenges, such as sea-level rise, which may cause some countries or cities to be submerged, will face a devastating blow to human survival and development, which requires a global joint response.

But after the outbreak, everything will return to the original judgment is also too one-sided. some changes are inevitable. However, the development and popularization of artificial intelligence, the interconnection of all things, cloud contact, Internet finance, and global remote synchronous video will expand and deepen the scope, space, and mode of human communication, which will become an opportunity for the globalization in the future.

Zhou Enlai, the first Premier of the State Council of China, put forward the idea of "seeking common ground while reserving differences" in an international conference. I have always agreed with this diplomatic concept. We all have the same family called the earth, we all have the same name called human. Different forces are still running, cooperation and exclusion staggered, whether the world is towards cooperation, empathy, or closed, exclusion, is still unknown. But one thing is certain: what want to harvest, how to sow.