Yes, the Chinese lied. They continue to lie today. They will lie tomorrow. They aren’t any different than our Democrats. But even if they hadn’t lied, it would have made no difference whatsoever.
Air travel between major world cities is ubiquitous. Or it was. Literally millions traveled by air from everywhere to everywhere on Earth daily. A virus this contagious was never going to be shut down in time because air travel was far too important to business worldwide - let alone travel for pleasure. It wasn’t ever going to be shut down in time.
This virus was probably going in China in November - I suspect that in places like New York or Las Vegas or Los Angeles, it was already spreading around in late November or December - well more than a month before people were paying attention. And mass air travel continued throughout the world all during that time.
This was going to go worldwide and get out of control everywhere no matter whether the Chinese lied or not. Their lies are damning to them for many important reasons - and they should be punished until their system changes in the aftermath. But their lies changed nothing about the virility or the spread of this particular virus.
The point is now we know not to be so dependent on China.
We sold them the rope they will hang us with.