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[Interesting thoughts. Have you fleshed that out further. I would like to read more of your thoughts on why China reacted that way.]

First off, there is no monolithic “China”, unless they’re fighting a foreign enemy, and even then ... In this case, it’s an internal issue. Xi Jinping is sorta kinda emperor, but the title doesn’t really mean what people think it means, which is a kind of living deity who commands unconditional obedience, combined with quasi-religious reverence. The fate of a couple of sitting emperors:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhao_Gao#Coup_following_Qin_Shi_Huang’s_death
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jianwen_Emperor#Fall_from_power

That was then. This is more recent:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_571
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hua_Guofeng#Ousting_and_death

A few years ago, a high-level Chinese official attempted to seek asylum at a US consulate. Obama rejected his request, even though he would have provided a treasure trove of classified info about Chinese officials, real sanctum sanctorum stuff. (Yet another reason why I think Obama is a treasonous nogoodnik). The guy he worked for was alleged to have been in the process of organizing a coup:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bo_Xilai#Downfall

Bottom line here is that Xi was under pressure to do something, to prevent sentiment among Party elites from turning against him, making him vulnerable to a coup. So he went all out. Same reason that Trump banned travel from China despite the possibility of being criticized, which he was, for overreacting. He wanted to lay down a marker so he could say he did something, while everyone stateside was super-blase. Now that the liberal media thinks this is the Black Death redux, and hyper-ventilating, Trump is adding more measures. Ironically, Xi did not have that luxury. He had to be seen acting decisively. In theory, he is dictator-for-life. In fact, he can be ousted at any time. It’s pure power politics, with zero principle or legal precedent involved. If enough Party elites (each with their own individual agendas) unite against him, Xi is finished.

The following events involving the courtiers (Zhao Gao and Li Si) who acted as regents after the First Emperor (Qin Shi Huang) died (~2200 years ago) may give you a flavor of the intrigues involved:

[At the end of the reign of Qin Shi Huang, Zhao Gao was involved in the death of Meng Tian and his younger brother, Meng Yi. Meng Tian, a reputable general and a supporter of Qin Shi Huang’s eldest son, Fusu, was stationed at the northern border, commanding more than 200,000 troops for the inconclusive campaign against the Xiongnu. Following the sudden death of Qin Shi Huang at Shaqiu, Zhao Gao and Li Si, the Chancellor, persuaded the emperor’s youngest son, Huhai, to falsify the emperor’s will. The fake decree forced Fusu to commit suicide and stripped Meng Tian of his command. Harbouring hatred for the entire Meng family due to his prior sentencing by Meng Yi, Zhao Gao destroyed the Meng brothers by convincing Huhai to issue a decree that forced Meng Tian to commit suicide and execute Meng Yi.[citation needed]

Qin Er Shi, who viewed Zhao Gao as his tutor, became the next Qin emperor.

Two years later, Zhao Gao also killed Li Si, executing him via the “Five Pains” method, Li’s own invention. The method consisted of having the victim’s nose cut off, cutting off a hand and a foot, then the victim was castrated and finally cut in half in line with the waist. He also had Li Si’s entire family exterminated.

In 207 BC, rebellions broke out in the lands east of Hangu Pass. Zhao Gao was afraid that Qin Er Shi might make him responsible for the uprisings. To preempt this, he launched a coup and assassinated Qin Er Shi, and then installed Ziying, Fusu’s son, as the new emperor.

Ziying, however, knew that Zhao Gao intended to kill him afterwards to appease the rebels, so he feigned illness on the day of the coronation, which forced Zhao to arrive at his residence to persuade him to attend. The moment Zhao Gao arrived, Ziying ordered a eunuch, Han Tan, to kill Zhao. Zhao Gao’s entire clan was exterminated on Ziying’s order. ]

Chinese court intrigues are, for now, less bloody, but the shifting alliances are pretty similar. If you know anything about Roman history, stuff like this should be pretty familiar. Caesar allying with Pompey, Caesar falling out with Pompey, Brutus allying with Caesar, Brutus killing Caesar, etc, etc. Basically a no holds barred competition for power.

Xi needed to say he did something. So he did something. Overall, this looks like a major overreaction. But then again, even if it is one, I think no one is going to get too cranked up about overreacting to the possibility of an epidemic that could kill millions. Same reason people buy fire insurance even after the mortgage has been paid off, and the bank no longer requires it.