Generally speaking, the dichotomy involving "personal freedom" vs. "economic development" does not have to be inevitable if the political consciousness and the relevant constructive action on the part of the people concerned is there. So what ends up happening in China or elsewhere depends on the choices made there, though as outsiders we can speculate.

Ha-joon Chang was not advocating to trade personal freedom for economic development; he was explaining what really transpired, contrary to the official narrative on economic development.