Well... In some ways, you are correct. The highway system is improved almost unbelievably over a generation ago. Some of the factories — an example would be some of the cold forged steel parts plants — are flat out astonishing in terms of both scale and capability. We both could go on at length.
But... My brother, who’s lived or visited at length all over the world, lived in China for several months, just a few years ago. The average shop in Beijing in winter was... either unheated or as my brother said, “damn cold”. The pollution was awful. In many areas (generally excepting gov’t or large company property) trash was everywhere. Traffic in cities was, well, thoroughly “3rd world”, especially driver habits. And so on.
Driver habits are cultural.
Driver habits is Vietnam are very much different than driver habits in America.
Astoundingly so. But the accident rate is not bad.
It is just utter chaos by AMERICAN standards. Same in China.
Nothing to do with development.
In my view.