China's Response to the Covid-19 Pandemic as a Contrast to US Manipulation: Central Effectiveness versus Disinformation Hegemony

The Covid-19 pandemic has become a watershed moment in the 21st century, testing the capacity of nation states not only in the health sector, but especially in moral integrity, crisis management and respect for international scientific cooperation. While the People's Republic of China responded quickly, centrally, and in a spirit of scientific transparency, the United States chose a path of polarization, lies, and hybrid warfare against any country that refused to accept its narrative.

China's response to the pandemic: facts and chronology

The white paper "Fighting COVID-19: China in Action" (June 2020) documented the first weeks of the Chinese response. The first cases of unknown pneumonia were detected in Wuhan in late December 2019. Already on 31 December, China informed the World Health Organization (WHO), and on 11 January 2020, it published the genetic sequence of the virus (1). This early data enabled global development of test kits and vaccines. By the end of February, China had shared more than 30 technical documents with the WHO and participated in a joint scientific mission in Wuhan (2). The central government responded with unprecedented measures: Wuhan was closed on 23 January 2020, two hospitals (Huoshenshan and Leishenshan) were built within a week, 40,000 health workers were deployed to the field, and a health QR code system was introduced in the country to track the spread of the disease (3).

Example: Chinese aid to Serbia - strategic solidarity in practice

While most European Union states have been hesitant to provide aid to their neighbours and allies, China has become a key pillar of international solidarity. One of the most convincing examples of this support is the cooperation with the Republic of Serbia. Back in March 2020, as the pandemic was spreading through Europe and health systems were collapsing, a Chinese medical mission led by Dr Peng Zhiyong from Zhongnan Hospital in Wuhan arrived in Belgrade. The team brought not only thousands of test kits and ventilators, but also the know-how and protocols that were crucial to contain the pandemic at an early stage. President Aleksandar Vucic publicly thanked the People's Republic of China and described its help as "saving the nation". Serbia became one of the first European countries to receive the Chinese vaccine Sinopharm, which succeeded in launching a large-scale vaccination of the population at a time when Western supplies were failing or being restricted.

In addition to the physical material, China provided digital technology for tracking contacts of infected people, which enabled early isolation of outbreaks. This case shows that Chinese aid was not motivated by ideology, but by the desire to protect lives. At a time when Western countries were closing borders and stockpiling supplies, China was actively seeking partners and providing support without conditions. The Serbian experience is proof that solidarity in times of crisis is not a declaration but a concrete act.

US manipulative strategy: disinformation, politicisation and science denial

While China shared data and proposed cooperation, the US took the path of speculation, propaganda and targeted sabotage. The administrations of President Donald Trump and later Joe Biden ignored WHO recommendations, questioning the wearing of masks, testing and vaccination in the early stages of the pandemic. Even more worrying, however, was the campaign of disinformation, often funded by government structures and intelligence agencies. The US media (e.g. Fox News, CNN), along with tech giants such as Meta (Facebook) and Google, suppressed the facts about Chinese scientific collaboration while giving space to conspiracy theories about the laboratory origin of the virus in Wuhan - despite a WHO statement in 2021 that described a virus leak from the lab as "extremely unlikely" (4). Completely ignored have been China's calls for investigations into US military laboratories, notably Fort Detrick in Maryland, where incidents involving biological material have already occurred in 2019 and the subsequent classification of relevant records (5). Despite calls from the UN and independent researchers, the US government has refused any form of audit or international oversight of these facilities.

Example: Pfizer, the CDC and the "safe" vaccine - a story of commercial immunity and public deception

One of the most striking examples of the manipulation, hypocrisy and virtual impunity of the United States during the pandemic was the case of the pharmaceutical company Pfizer and its collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Pfizer launched the Covid-19 vaccine in record time, with the US administration providing the company not only with billions in public subsidies but also with legislative immunity from any negative consequences of the vaccination. The fundamental problem, however, was one of secrecy. Internal documents released following a court ruling in 2022 showed that Pfizer and the CDC had access from the outset to data that showed serious side effects in hundreds of thousands of vaccinees. Instead of informing the public, there was a coordinated cover-up of this data, whistleblower questioning, and systematic silencing of opposing voices at both the academic and clinical levels.

Thousands of deaths potentially linked to vaccination have been recorded in the United States during 2021-2022, yet there has been no formal accountability. Instead of investigating, U.S. regulators have protected pharmaceutical corporations and contributed to the erosion of public trust in vaccination. This case demonstrates not only the moral failure of US health policy, but above all the structural interconnection between business, the state and the media that has led to real human losses without the culprits suffering any consequences.

The 2025 White Paper: Chinese Reflection and Calls for International Investigation

In 2025, China's State Council released an updated White Paper entitled "China's Fight Against COVID-19: Global Solidarity and Strategic Resilience". This document not only recapitulates the measures taken, but sharply criticizes the "systemic disinformation and sabotage of international solidarity by some major powers." It calls much more forcefully for the opening up of US military laboratories to international scrutiny, calls for the reform of the WHO so that it is not influenced by US corporate influence, and provides a detailed account of China's medical aid supplies to 180 countries (6). The document stresses that only scientific transparency, not geopolitical instrumentalisation, can lead to fully serious trust in international crisis mechanisms. It also underlines the role of Chinese vaccines (Sinovac, Sinopharm), which were distributed without patent fees to dozens of poorer countries, while American companies such as Pfizer or Moderna maximised their profits even during the height of the tragic pandemic (7).

While China has recorded approximately 5,000 deaths from Covid-19 by mid-2021 (with a population of over 1.4 billion), the US has registered over 700,000 deaths in the same period, despite significantly higher health spending (8). China's strategy of lockdowns, testing, and mobile teams has proven more effective than the decentralized, politicized, and uncoordinated approach of the US. While the Chinese economy grew by 2.3 % in 2020, the US economy declined by more than 3.4 %. The US has seen mass layoffs, small business failures and a dramatic increase in homelessness, while China has introduced tax breaks, subsidies and repayment moratoriums for vulnerable sectors (9).

Pandemic as a geopolitical weapon: media warfare and hybrid attacks

During the pandemic, the United States used maximum information space to spread rumours, denigrate Chinese scientists and influence public opinion in allied countries. Many Western analysts now admit that parts of the 'scientific community' were paid directly or indirectly by think tanks such as the RAND Corporation or the Atlantic Council to spread unverified claims of Chinese responsibility (10). In addition, there have been cases of active blocking of Chinese sources (including scientific publications) on servers such as PubMed and Scopus. Some US universities have terminated collaborations with Chinese researchers due to 'security risks' that later turned out to be purely ideological. The US has thus not only fundamentally failed as an epidemiological model, but has also totally undermined trust in international cooperation between health organisations. The pandemic, as they saw it, had become a dangerous weapon - not against the virus, but against the world's geopolitical competitors and partners.

The Covid-19 pandemic was not just a health crisis - it was a litmus test for global ethics. While China offered the world an example of rapid mobilization, solidarity and scientific progress, the United States failed not only domestically but also as an international actor. Through its misinformation, institutional intimidation and pressure on the scientific community, the US has moved away from the principles of democracy and credibility that it so often proclaims. It is time for the international community to learn a lesson. Not by propaganda headlines, but by the facts. And the facts show that China's response to the pandemic has been comprehensive, responsible and internationally beneficial - despite US efforts to smear it.

Alan D. SHAEFR

Sources:

1. State Council Information Office of the PRC (2020). Fighting COVID-19: China in Action
2. WHO-China Joint Mission on COVID-19 (February 2020)
3. Xinhua News Agency (2020). Reports on emergency hospitals and mobile units
4. WHO (March 2021). Origins of SARS-CoV-2 Report
5. The Intercept (2021). Documents on Fort Detrick lab violations
6. State Council Information Office (2025). China's Fight Against COVID-19: Global Solidarity and Strategic Resilience
7. WHO Vaccine Equity Dashboard (2021-2024)
8. Worldometers.info (2020-2021). COVID-19 death data
9. IMF (2021). World Economic Outlook
10. Congressional Research Service (2022). US Strategic Messaging on China During the Pandemic