I can buy that the Chinese would take the worst hit from Covid if it emanated in China and because so many cities there are polluted, putting lungs at risk even on good day without a virus going around. What I can’t buy is that so many more Chinese would die from Covid compared to people elsewhere.
I think the Chinese government was afraid of their excess population in terms of resources and mounting commercial and real estate debt problems. They would know from cell phone usage who was likely to join in a Tiananmen Square type thing based on what people were texting to each other, website they looked at, etc.
I wouldn’t put is past the Chinese to blast the homes of these people with some sort of toxic gas or radioactive something or other that causes Covid-like symptoms.
BTW, welecome to FR.