'They see my blue eyes then jump back' – China sees a new wave of xenophobia
"Some say the focus on foreigners – surprising given that 90% of imported cases were Chinese passport holders [...] – is the leadership’s attempt to shore up its image"
It's mostly to shift the blame. That's why Chinese news reports about these 'imported' cases don't mention that 90% are returning Chinese. Actually, that is quite common for the Chinese commies. They really like to blame problems on foreigners.

Hear, hear! I have been saying ALL of this for quite some time.