Description
The COVID-19 pandemic is currently analyzed as a social and economic problem, predominately at the national level, even though certain activities are coordinated at an international or supranational
level. While there are different levels of vulnerability in countries, the pandemic is having an important affected in the relative distribution of power in the global system which will increase in the aftermath of the pandemic and resulting economic crisis. This problem is especially visible in relations between the current leader of the international system, i.e. the United States and the main challenger, i.e. the People’s Republic of China.
The main goal of this paper is an analysis of the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the transformation of the global system, with a special focus on the role of the United States and China. The COVID-19 pandemic will be analyzed as a catalyzer of the power transformation between the United States and China. The analysis will be based on the power transition theory (Organski-Kugler). The analysis will consider three areas of leadership in the system and the influence of COVID-19 on them, i.e. relative distribution of power, role in international organizations, as well as cooperation/allegiance of other countries, with a focus on middle powers towards the United States and China.
