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MANILA – Following high-profile deployments of medics and medical equipment to virus-hit nations in Europe and the Middle East, China is now ramping up its “face mask diplomacy” closer to home in neighboring Southeast Asia.
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As US politicians call for China to be held accountable for spawning the Covid-19 pandemic, including payment of “reparations” for economic damage, Beijing is diplomatically leveraging its “Health Silk Road” to pre-empt similar calls in Asia.
In late March, Beijing delivered 40 tons of medical equipment to Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s largest and among the region’s worst Covid-19 impacted nations.
Media reports characterized China’s delivery of masks, swabs and test kits with boxes emblazoned with China’s flag, more as a public relations exercise than an emergency aid intervention.