It changed after Trump became President - but got worse around 2018. The impression Americans were no longer welcome became very strong..
No. It really pre-dates Trump, as the other poster indicated. I was lucky to have to work in China over 10 years ago. It was friendly enough, but looking back, I am sure that the technology theft was occurring at a rapid pace.
Back, very close to that time period, though. Things changed. China became openly hostile. The China plan was different.
There is this myth of the far-thinking Asian mind. It’s a myth. The have Mao and don’t think like that anymore, if they ever did.
Trump came along, and I expected some reversal from China. They would lay a little lower and wait-out 8 years. They had sprung their trap too early. They didn’t. They’ve gone full-Banzai (wrong culture). They’re stuck to their plan and can’t change it, for some reason. Death to Hong Kong! Death to Christians! The “new” China.