It's more than just saving face.

China actively wants people around the world to die so that proportionately they don't lose power on the world stage by dragging everyone down.

It's basically premeditated mass murder.

And this isn't the first time. This is just iike 2020. China covered up covid even existing including arresting whistleblowers and then they told a bunch of lies and they played a leading role in spreading covid 19 conspiracy theories for good measure.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COVID-19_misinformation_by_China