Carl

What makes you think Xi is a dictator? If your answer is "because that's the vibe I get from American Government propaganda", then you should reassess the things you think you know about the world. The truth is that China has a very vibrant and active democracy that is much more responsive to the demands of its people than that of most other nations, and Xi is merely the one currently at the top of that democratic system.

Do you take the Chinese citizens at theirs?

We find that first, since the start of the survey in 2003, Chinese citizen satisfaction with government has increased virtually across the board. From the impact of broad national policies to the conduct of local town officials, Chinese citizens rate the government as more capable and effective than ever before. Interestingly, more marginalized groups in poorer, inland regions are actually comparatively more likely to report increases in satisfaction. Second, the attitudes of Chinese citizens appear to respond (both positively and negatively) to real changes in their material well-being, which suggests that support could be undermined by the twin challenges of declining economic growth and a deteriorating natural environment.

Very few governments on this planet have approval numbers this good, and even fewer have numbers this good when it's a neutral third party conducting the surveys.

I think China would have to do a lot more for the avg person before they could be considered socialist or communist again

Within the last five years China completely eliminated the worst category of poverty in their borders. I'd say they are currently actively engaged in doing a lot more for the average person than most countries.

more recently expressed complete authority over such as Taiwan

What complete authority does the PRC have over Taiwan? Their position now is the same as its been for seventy years - they consider it part of their country but exercise no actual control over it.

The entire country tried to revolt in 1984 and millions of citizens were killed by their own military

Literally nobody claims that millions died, that's flat earth levels of alternate reality.

Naw the same shit happens on Reddit and Facebook and every other place that isn't TikTok or XHS. There's a chart that shows Americans' opinion of China being more or less 50/50 until 2015ish and then turning sharply negative after the trade war/propaganda blitz against them that started during Trump's first term.

you were gay if your index finger was shorter than your ring finger

And then when they hold up their hand to check, you slap it into their face.