China has a higher COVID death rate than the US and 3x the population. Precisely the kind of situation that would favor a more viral pathogen that doesn't kill its host before spreading.

What's a shame is that mainland China is being pressured by the west into moving away from a zero COVID policy. This wave caused the first COVID death in mainland China this year. How many people have died of COVID where you live? And how many people live there in comparison?

COVID is still deadly, barely less so than delta, but the west never even feigned at a zero COVID policy and consequently sacrificed millions needlessly to still raise gas prices and consumer goods prices across the board.