TOKYO -- "General Secretary Xi Jinping himself will lead and take action" against the coronavirus -- so proclaimed a message that began playing repeatedly on Chinese state television in January 2020, after COVID-19 began its explosive spread from the city of Wuhan.
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China's sway over global economy shifts as COVID tightens Xi's grip
Vision for 'Chinese modernization' reinforces Beijing's pandemic curbs
Images of Chinese President Xi Jinping became prominent in Beijing in the early days of the pandemic. (Photo by Tetsushi Takahashi)
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