This is an exasperating bit of casual racism I see all the time. A Chinese person has said something you disagree with, they must have no personal agency, they must be trying to curry favor with the government!
the CPC is not Santa Claus, ffs
Written in 2008, though. Hu Jintao was in charge, China was hosting the Olympics, the posture was generally more open to the West.
Seems a lot more like a cranky guy than political-favor-currying.