In China’s battle against covid-19, the state has disappeared from the front lines. For nearly three years President Xi Jinping tried to contain the virus, calling his efforts a “people’s war” and before ditching their zero-covid-19 policies, other countries first took pains to administer vaccines, stockpile antiviral drugs and draw up treatment guidelines. More than two years after the first vaccine proved effective, the country remains ill-prepared. Where did China go wrong ?

