The research is more to defend against bio weapons than to actually develop a bio weapon. A coronavirus wouldn't be an effective military weapon for a superpower like China or the USA. They already have weapons of mass destruction which are far more powerful and accurate with less "friendly fire" risk.

Plausible deniability is a top level requirement in any operation, and friendly fire is not always a serious concern.

Either way, these are only getting easier to make, and the response made it worth incalculably more.