T raffic jams are returning to cities in China, and shopping centres, bars and nightclubs are reopening after weeks of lockdown as the government declared victory over coronavirus. Normal social and economic order “must be fully and urgently restored”, decreed president Xi Jinping.

China is now seeking to take an international leadership role in the war against Covid-19. A concerted wave of articles, social media posts and public announcements have appeared in a wide variety of languages to laud Beijing’s achievement. “China’s signature strength, efficiency and speed in this fight has been widely acclaimed,” declared foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian. “A new standard has been set for the global efforts against the epidemic.”