seen as a statement on China’s virus success

[GoodTaste]

While officials seated in the rows behind them were all masked, Xi and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang moved around the Great Hall of the People, where the National People’s Congress is opened every year, mask-free. The exception seemed to apply only to members of the Politburo and a handful of other top Communist Party leaders. Xi also went without a mask at last year’s NPC, seen as a statement on China’s virus success with the Wuhan outbreak largely quelled.

Source: Has China President Xi Jinping been vaccinated? His latest mask-less appearance adds to mystery

The phrase "seen as a statement on China’s virus success" appears to be misleading to me. Is it correct in English? It seems that it doesn't mean the success of China's battle against the virus, rather, it means the opposite. I am not sure.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

While officials seated in the rows behind them were all masked, Xi and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang moved around the Great Hall of the People, where the National People’s Congress is opened every year, mask-free. The exception seemed to apply only to members of the Politburo and a handful of other top Communist Party leaders. Xi also went without a mask at last year’s NPC, seen as a statement on China’s virus success with the Wuhan outbreak largely quelled.

Source: Has China President Xi Jinping been vaccinated? His latest mask-less appearance adds to mystery

The phrase "seen as a statement on China’s virus success" appears to be misleading to me. Is it correct in English? It seems that it doesn't mean the success of China's battle against the virus, rather, it means the opposite. I am not sure.

No, it is not misleading. Yes, it is correct English.

Seen as a statement, viewed as a statement, considered a statement, and understood to be a statement all mean that appearing without a mask is a way of saying that the country has succeeded in stopping the virus.

The sentence does not agree or disagree with Xi's opinion. It just interprets his action.