Yes this aligns with my general understanding as well. China's relative passivity is part of a long game and is entirely intentional, considering very real failures of other states run by communist parties. I do think it can do more, as an important lesson is that capitalist countries, particularly the primary seats of capitalist empire, do not differentiate between real and imagined justifications for isolation. They will simply do it when they want to. I think there is more they could "get away" with, but I do understand and appreciate their more conservative commie perspective.