In a true communist country everyone would be equally poor, including the political leadership (think Cuba under Castro)
China today is more like a feudal kingdom with rich politically connected lords that rule over the masses of peasantry and control every aspect of their lives (even their ability to have more than one child)
Castro is one of the richest men in the world, they just hide it real well.
Leftists also use that cop-out
“That’s not true communism”
to me, if the people aren’t free, then its an ism