I’ve been getting that sentiment lately as well. I can understand China’s issue with not wanting to appear as aggressive or as “unfairly biased” and I do worry as well that it is a genuine philosophy, which while very different from neoliberal “philosophy”, still hits some of the same unfortunate notes.

It’s helpful to remember though that after over a century of colonial domination, China definitely still has the collective cultural memory of what it’s like being strangled, abused, enslaved and molested by colonial powers and foreign agents, so they are very hesitant to even somewhat challenge other countries in internal or interpersonal affairs, but that kind of thinking has its limits.