I bet the vast number of people in China like America. The restaurant manager expressed his personal opinion. Hell, we have plenty of America haters here, frighteningly so.
I may not like the Communist regime but I am just fine with the people of China and wish them well in the future, and it the struggle to become a free nation.
That's been my experience. Most of the ones I have worked with are non-political, if rather naive and susceptible to CCP propaganda. There are, of course, some DU types like this restaurant owner, who are ready to send their younger countrymen off to war with Japan or the USA in a heartbeat. But they are atypical.
1. I bet that the vast number of people in China don't care ONE iota about America. Why would they? They are MOST insular and clannish by nature. Always have been.
2. They will NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER be free. Their government will simply never (add many "nevers") allow it.