Perhaps things have changed for the better in China since 2018!

Why Conduct Clinical Trials in China? April 2, 2021:

https://en.crmedicon.com/why-conduct-clinical-trials-in-china-a-regulatory-perspective/

"The ongoing pandemic has changed the landscape of clinical development in prominent ways. Conducting clinical trials in China is advantageous from regulatory perspective because ten months is the usual duration for the China State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) to approve clinical trial applications."

Koo