Do you really think they care that much about external image? They'd just write it off and attack it as a modern version of the 'sick man of Asia' type racism. Which is how they've dealt with other issues like Xinjiang, Hong Kong etc. Maybe this is the first steps to moving to a Juche style North Korean model? But then they can look across the border and see what a car crash that is? Or more about having a 'han' master race where left behind professional women will suddenly find poor unmarried migrant factory workers attractive in a manly way?