You don't think calling China a "global leader" despite their awful initial actions is praising China?

Not in the context presented, no. The article isn't talking about their "initial actions", it's talking about their international assistance work. China is absolutely a global leader in providing humanitarian assistance to other nations struct by COVID-19. In fact they're pretty much the only nation doing anything like this, at all.

And historically, that was always one of the core roles played by America. So in perspective it's sort of notable, no?

> Not in the context presented, no.

You're contracting yourself and just being argumentative. The whole context is their international assistance work, and there is nothing but praise in that article. Meanwhile the article just brushes aside their initial deceit which greatly magnified the problem.

Are you saying that merely reporting on the fact that China is providing international assistance is... praise?

I genuinely thought you were talking about the tweet about the article being the praise. The article was just facts. Facts, to borrow a phrase, don't care about your feelings.