There are some really interesting videos on various political youtube feeds with the overarching topic of "what is the real population of China?" The main point you can take away from the ones after you synthesize all the POVs of the makers of these videos (from Falun Gong to more rational types) the Chinese lie like a bed about their own population and anything that changes that population. They take crazy steps to manufacture and control that information.
So, if one were to expect them to come correct with real numbers about the cause or impact of Covid? Nah, aint' happening.