China has played two roles in the global battle against the coronavirus: a benevolent donor of aid, filling the US void, and combative superpower ready to bite back at critics.
Gone are the days of low-profile diplomacy promoted by late leader Deng Xiaoping, who said Beijing should "hide your strength, bide your time".
Attitudes have changed under President Xi Jinping, who has pushed an increasingly confident policy abroad since taking office in 2012.
The country has become even more assertive this year in the face of attacks over its handling of the pandemic, which started on its shores in December.