Democracy this days has become what current leaders define it to be.
USA was a democracy, but Trump redefined it and now nobody knows what it is
Turkey was another democracy, turned autocratic.
Russia was a democracy, until Putin redefined it by poisoning any opposition and redefined it.
China is a communist wanna be democratic, but currently autocratic.
China is like Trump. Hide everything, don't show weakness, strongly respond to any negative, and deny, deny, deny.