The world makes a stand and states that under no circumstances will they trade with China untill the Entire communist governemnt resigns and China converts to an open democracy.
The question is, why would China release a lab engineered virus when they are trying to conquer the world via the Belt/Road Initiative? Those two things would appear to be at odds with each other.
If China did release the virus (and it certainly appears that such a conclusion is reasonable), is it possible that there are two competing factions at work in China, each struggling to take control (i.e., the Belt/Road people fighting against the biowarfare scientists for domination)? One faction wants an economic takeover and one wants to start a war.