Copy homework

chāo zuòyè 抄作业

CAPTION (Source: SOURCENAME)

//Simple, one-sentence definition.// In late January 2020, as the novel coronavirus started to move from Wuhan to other parts of China, netizens criticized provinces that failed to "copy" the epicenter's "homework," i.e. that were slow to impose lockdowns and other restrictions that may have mitigated the spread of the disease. It was not long before netizens redirected their derision abroad.

State media picked up the terminology, including a February 25 report in Beijing Daily titled "Multinational Call to Copy China's Homework: Three Trends Welcomed by the Situation" (多国喊话向中国抄作业，形势迎来3个新变化). The third trend listed in the article: that "WHO experts have confirmed that China's efforts have succeeded."

//ANALYSIS///As @hannah0905 writes on Matters:

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