> go way beyond the legal framework, you may be labeled a spy or something like that

I mean, a few hundreds years ago, the US continent was populated by Savages. They got educated and civilized now.

So give China another 1 hundred years. They'll be as civilized as US today. They probably would routinely threaten nukes for countries not practicing the "wholistic democracy" [1]; they'll also cut supply of key components from global supply chain when India is approaching their supremacy; and sanction Vietnam because they dont act like dogies...

[1] https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202208/1272926.shtml