The reality is that autocracy exists everywhere not just at the state level. A private property, private company, within a family, even a military organisation. Pieces of CCP "technology" used for surveillance, recognition, tracking, scoring, analyzing, censoring, etc can become saleable to the right customers, and since China is searching for its own export niche.

The founding of north korea predates the founding of communist china. And it's more like china helped north korea and vietnam defend themselves against invasion rather than help create them.

> Perhaps just to make some money or befriend the neighbors. Russia sells its technology to anyone who wants it. Why wouldn't china?

That's not the OP was talking about was it.