Sure, of course. lived in China before Xi does not count. Different country different rulers. Emperor Xi will not use nukes and neither will any of the other PLA factions.
Allowing threats of such actions in a public statement by a minor official is psychological operation. The purpose is to allow our own "leadership" to rationalize backing away from confronting China as China makes increasingly aggressive moves.
China has different rulers. It is the same culture and the same people than it always was. It will do the same things that it always did.