U.S. policymakers, journalists and other Washington, D.C. stakeholders have noted with growing alarm how China is leveraging the distribution of masks and other PPE used to contain COVID-19 to advance its diplomatic agenda around the world.

There is a sense of deep unease at the fact that Beijing is performing a role once natural to the U.S. (and Europe to some extent.) That fear of China’s growing influence in Africa and other developing regions is blended with concern over the lack of any meaningful counter-measures from the Trump administration.