The People’s Republic of China has apparently tired of waiting on the American media to carry its water (which they do, willingly and gladly), and have started their own personal media image makeover – in the name of saving their economy.

For starters, China would like everyone to know that it is lies, all LIES, that the coronavirus was intentionally released to wreck the world economy.

#FactSheet on #COVID19: As the world economy suffers due to the #coronavirus pandemic, some conspiracy theorists have spread rumors that China used the virus to cripple Western economies. Here is why China does not aim for that: https://t.co/X0LaqkGQw5 pic.twitter.com/TmcyGiGmvo

— People's Daily, China (@PDChina) May 18, 2020

Twitter, that bastion of “truthiness” which is super concerned about “disinformation,” sees no problem with giving Chinese propaganda outlets a blue check and then letting them run their mouths off on their platform. There’s some real irony in Twitter’s hands-off policy regarding communist China’s usage of their social media network, while China banned Twitter except for party usage to push their propaganda.

At least Facebook made China buy the ad (though they get a verified blue check there as well). However, it is totally irrelevant whether or not China “intentionally” released COVID-19, or the attempt that they are making to “save face.” The “intentionality” of the virus will be endlessly debated forever. The reality is that China covered up what it knew, when it knew it, silenced those who tried to speak out, and got a subservient and compliant World Health Organization to cover for them, until a tsunami of reality overtook them. And it isn’t just the United States that China is trying to convince. Australia is plenty angry with China, and relations between them have turned decidedly frosty.

Despite their attempt at misinformation early on that was so ludicrous as to be insane that the virus was seeded in China by the United States Army, China is feeling the economic pressure from all over the world. Things were going pretty well for the Chinese economy, considering the trade deal that President Trump was touting less than a year ago. Now, the United States is moving to block Chinese tech company Huawei from getting semiconductors. China now has a sad.

China firmly opposes US restrictions on Chinese tech giant Huawei https://t.co/QbQS2ut3XK pic.twitter.com/JGUYukh5Pd

— China.org.cn (@chinaorgcn) May 18, 2020

And while the United States is blocking Huawei and China from getting semiconductors, the red carpet is being rolled out for Taiwan. I cannot think of a bigger middle finger to China than confirming that Taiwan will start build semiconductors in Arizona in the near future.

Construction is planned to start in 2021 at an as-yet unspecified location in the city of Phoenix, which both Gov. Doug Ducey and Mayor Kate Gallego confirmed, with production targeted to begin in 2024.”

The company’s total spending of roughly $12 billion will be spread from 2021 to 2029.”

Gallego in a statement to The Arizona Republic said she and Chris Mackay, the city’s economic development director, traveled to Taiwan last year to make a pitch to the company.”

We all know just how much China loves it when the United States pays special attention to Taiwan, and I cannot think of a better outcome from this entire disaster than to see Taiwan gain more prominence economically to the detriment of China. It will be richly deserved – on both sides.

Featured image: photoshop of Xi Jinping & PRC Flag, original artwork by VG Darleen Click