China is providing masks, vaccines, medical equipment and personnel to African countries ignored by the U.S. in recent years, positioning itself as an essential partner to the region.
Pressure is growing to include struggling Pacific nations in an Australia-New Zealand travel bubble, but economic diversity is what the region really needs.
As the cases of coronavirus spread across the world, China is keen to position itself as a charitable country through “mask diplomacy” internationally, while showing a different face at home.