That may or may not be true. The recent Olympics offered a glimpse into china that we don't generally see.
There were two distinct views. First was the social control and mass presentations where thousands it seemed acted in concert Rush went on and on about this nearly every day condemning not only the presentation , but the social force that developed it.
The second view was on the streets of Beijing and other cities. We saw well dressed, strangely believe it western dressed, smiling, busy folks going about their business. Gone were the dour faces and drab gray clothing. There was a bustle and a purpose. These people were Chicaps...... a new and prosperous constantly rising force. Chinese business doers. Chinese capitalists if you will.
The sheer numbers and weight of the Chicaps are slowly but surely taking over. When enough old men die, a peaceful takeover will have happened. It may not be an American three branch government with two legislative bodies, but it will be something that evolves as the Chinese people see fit. It may take another 25 or even 50 years but it will happen. The commnuist rule was but an insignificant downtick in Chinese history. It has taken a hundred years or so since the royal government failed. The Chinese don't know yet what manner of government will serve the vast country beat.
No, there is no question. It is true that the majority of Chinese believe in social engineering and centralized political control. China has never had anything but this type of government even before the communists took over and ruined entire generations of Chinese.
From the average Chinese's perspective, their level of freedom may appear close to absolute, but that is only in comparison to what they have had before, which was zero freedom.
I agree that China seems to be moving in the right direction, but most individual Chinese are still proudly, even militantly authoritarian in mindset. They are proudly collectivist, happily sacrificing the hopes and dreams of the individual in the quest for patriotic collectivist glory.
Culturally they are as different from the west as Muslims are.