The first law in the US outside of basic government structure: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

No matter how many mistakes are made in the US, we have that as a bedrock. There is a fundamental difference between the US and China in this regard.