This is a comment that grossly simplifies the various aspects at play. I can't blame you for being cynical though.
They are trying to get China out of the picture for Gilead pharma stock(NASDAQ:GILD) to get the full patent. Insiders like government puppets will know how the patent will work out before Wall Street and use the Hunter Biden type puppets to invest for them. And isn't China nice? Worried about the patent war while it's people are dying.
China Wants To Patent Gilead's Experimental Coronavirus Drug(Investors Business Daily)
Chinese researchers have applied for a patent on an antiviral drug candidate called remdesevir owned by Gilead Sciences Inc. The drug is being tested in clinical trials in short order, but the company could eventually be cut out.
If the patent is granted, it will confirm long-standing drugmaker fears about China’s commitment to IP protection, raising concern about the industry’s future in a crucial market. It also could further erode the already weak incentives for pharma to invest in drugs to combat emerging infectious diseases. The risks of seizing the patent may outweigh any benefit.