I'm of the same mind, that the statement is factual. It's even more valuable, because it's information which has the potential to alter mental models.

I think dang's point in this thread should be interpreted as: "Such mental model breaking information around delicate subjects needs to be treated with the most care, precisely because it's the most valuable while it's the most likely to be lost to emotional jamming of the discourse."

Yeah. In particular the comment isn't denigrative of China at all. In fact, making opposite statements would arguably be more denigrative.