Good point.
Whatever legitimacy the government has is in delivering a better life for the people and in making China a strong and respected country.
The problem is corruption, abuse of power and the lack of freedom threaten the country’s long term future.
Xi’s problem is the party’s absolute rule can only be ensured if the party is led by principled and decent people. But he won’t be around forever to keep it in place. If only because of human nature.
And the demands for freedom can’t be deferred indefinitely. Its not a question of if but when China will ultimately undergo democratization.
The current issue of The Economist has a picture of Xi on the cover with the caption “The Most Powerful Man in the World”. When I saw it I flashed back to all the magazine covers in the 1980’s that featured Mikhail Gorbachev.