On April 18, 2022, Global China Hub senior fellow Michael Schuman published an article in The Atlantic, “China’s Costly Exceptionalism”.
“‘Zero COVID’ may ultimately serve as a lesson for Beijing in the perils of exceptionalism. Americans have come to realize that their own belief in their nation’s mission comes with great cost in lives, money, and reputation; for many, failed wars and heavy burdens abroad have come to outweigh the benefits of upholding democratic values and global interests. China’s recent COVID experience should wake its leaders to the potential pitfalls of exceptionalism, because their country, too, is paying the price of self-promotion,” Schuman writes.