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Epidemiologists would probably say China initially tried to keep the new virus a secret from their own people, and the world, and did not lock down fast enough, which promoted its spread.
Instead, at the very start Chinese law enforcement investigated the doctor who tried to spread the word there was a new deadly virus. Yes they did allow flights to go out. Li Wenliang: Coronavirus death of Wuhan doctor sparks anger - BBC News

I still find it hard to believe that we simultaneously believe that the CCP is playing 4D chess, and that they intentionally released a virus that completely wrecked the world economy, which completely wrecked their own.

I can't argue that they care, but if you're a huge exporter, what's the benefit in hurting your biggest customers?

Eh, not sure I believe that. And then their whole zero COVID policy screwed up their economy even worse (if as you say it were in tatters) and screwed up the plebes confidence in their ability to govern.

And even if their economy was struggling, why cause a global supply chain crisis that resulted in most of the world economies asking "hey, so how can we be LESS reliant on China???"

All I'm saying is that if them sending it around the world was intentional, it was a colossal blunder of the highest degree.

Hindsight.

PowerPoint Presentation (ispor.org)