This type of China vs US narrative where existential stakes are implied is just dumb. The technological Cold War we’re in is not going to result in the collapse of either nation.
I think you may have misinterpreted the parent comment, (or perhaps I did). China doesn't have a deep libertarian tradition, so overbearing state surveillance, while odious, isn't a strange concept in Chinese culture. Western governments are/will be unable to resits the urge to deploy such measures because they clearly work so well for authoritarian states, but will fatally undermine their own cultural foundation by doing so. It wasn't so long ago that regimes like East Germany were considered the epitome of totalitarianism, with the Stasi (domestic intelligence service) coopting large numbers of informers, listening in on the citizenry etc. Yet today many of us are subject to far more intrusive surveillance, it's just got super-friendly branding and some people are making money out of it so 'freedom' has nominally prevailed.
That’s the thing though, it doesn’t work that well. China is a huge place that seemingly has many challenges that are underreported in the global landscape. The trade offs the Chinese government makes to better control the people limits their ability to draw from the global talent pool and restricts free thinkers and innovation.
