China's model of control has been blamed for the coronavirus crisis, but for some it's looking increasingly attractive

On Sunday, Andrew Adonis, a member of Britain's House of Lords and onetime cabinet minister, took aim at the idea that the coronavirus pandemic was causing a crisis of capitalism. "Lots of instant commentary on 'how Covid-19 will change the world' calls it a 'crisis of capitalism'. Wrong," he wrote on Twitter. "It's a 'crisis of communism'. It became a global pandemic through Xi's communist regime China."

While it's debatable how communist modern China actually is, Adonis is not alone in his complaint. Numerous Western politicians, particularly on the right, have blamed China's government and political system for causing the current global crisis. Many have continued to hammer phrases such as "China flu" or "Wuhan virus," despite warnings that such terms could lead to increased hostility against Asians. Even those critics who try to avoid ethnically-tinged labels often speak of a "CPC virus" or "Xi flu," named after country's ruling party, the Communist Party of China and its leader, President Xi Jinping, respectively.

It's safe to say that China's brand has taken a hit due to the virus. According to Pew Research, Americans' opinion of China is at its lowest point in 15 years, and 62% of those surveyed said they viewed China's power and influence as a "major threat."

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