I think this sort of abuse comes naturally to humans, in combination of the broken environment they were raised in, and due to different pressures and opportunities later. So however disconnected culturally and physically, they produce similar patterns. Relating this to the current context, I don't think Chinese officials needed to study US and Canadian boarding school abuse to create an environment where they mistreat their minorities in a similar way. Rather it's because we're all humans and we behave similarly under similar circumstances.