Chinese state media has raved over Dr. Anthony Fauci’s recent calls for solidarity to combat the pandemic, using his comments to bolster Beijing’s virus narratives. Fauci, the top U.S. infectious disease expert and chief medical advisor to President Joe Biden, appeared with top Chinese epidemiologist Zhong Nanshan in early March during an online forum hosted by the University of Edinburgh—their first public event together over the issue. In a nearly hour-long video panel themed around “the future of health,” the two repeatedly highlighted the need for collaboration, a message that Chinese authorities have frequently adopted to fend off criticism of its initial coverup of the outbreak. Zhong, who one Chinese official has described as “China’s Fauci,” earned international prominence for helping the regime manage the SARS outbreak that originated from the country in late 2002. Zhong has championed state narratives about its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, including by stating …