This article examines the role played by China in the development of international regulatory standards at the intersection of intellectual prop- erty, international trade, and public health. It begins by briefly discussing the role China has played in the global health arena during the COVID-19 pandemic. The article then highlights the difficulty in determining how best to engage with the country in the development of new international regula- tory standards. It shows that the preferred method of engagement will likely depend on one’s perspective on China’s potential contributions and hin- drances: a perspective that focuses on global competition—in the economic, trade, and technological arenas—is likely to differ significantly from one emphasizing global health. This article concludes by providing four key takeaways concerning the challenges and complications that China has posed, or will pose, to policymakers in the development of new international regulatory standards.