mask diplomacy

This is a term used to smear Chinese efforts to help their friends and neighbours by sending medical supplies, particularly face masks and hand sanitiser.  The implication is that any help from China merely disguises some nefarious purpose. Supplies of masks from other countries are always welcome, but not from China. It follows the term debt-trap diplomacy used to imply that any financial aid that China gives, particularly to less-developed countries in Africa and the Pacific, is merely an attempt to bind them forever with loans that they can never hope to repay.  Research says that this is not true, although there is a danger that it might happen if the countries involved are not careful. But that is the case with all loans.  In the case of mask diplomacy, it appears to have done wonders in healing the rift between China and Japan. Japan sent face masks to China when Wuhan was in need, and China returned the favour.  No one thought that such a reconciliation was possible.