The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified awareness of U.S.-China strategic competition, and refocused international attention on the expression of Chinese power. In a reinvigorated battle for the rimlands, it will be increasingly difficult for countries to maintain a "neutral" balance between the two powers. COVID-19's impact on global health and economics has heightened international attention toward China's security and economic strategies, altering the calculus of countries that once preferred balancing engagement between China and other bilateral and multilateral relationships. Now, countries from Western Europe to Australia, and even the Philippines, appear to be rethinking their assessment of China's capabilities and intent. COVID-19 and the Chinese Response The human impact of the pandemic in Europe and the United States appeared far more severe than the comparable official statistics from China, and given Beijing's history of manipulated numbers and information control, this raised questions about Chinese information sharing.