I asked a Chinese colleague a couple of weeks ago about the reasoning behind for the harsh, extensive lock-down and she suggested your third hypothesis. She also said that amongst her family and friends in China, there is absolutely no doubt that Taiwan should - and will - become part of the PRC.
It doesn't help that Xi has made the Zero-Covid policy heavily political now. The evidence is stacking up that this policy cannot carry on, but now he has pinned his leadership to it, so China is now essentially snookered.
I asked a Chinese colleague a couple of weeks ago about the reasoning behind for the harsh, extensive lock-down and she suggested your third hypothesis. She also said that amongst her family and friends in China, there is absolutely no doubt that Taiwan should - and will - become part of the PRC.
Occam’s razor at play?
It doesn't help that Xi has made the Zero-Covid policy heavily political now. The evidence is stacking up that this policy cannot carry on, but now he has pinned his leadership to it, so China is now essentially snookered.