And that's not a small difference, it's the difference between a liberal democracy (with its many mistakes and flaws) and an authoritarian dictatorship. The both-sides fallacy should be avoided here and elsewhere.
We can't honestly equate the Uyghur genocide, jailing of political dissidents, Xi's dictator for life status and the CCP's censorship apparatus to the modern US, even when factoring in the ongoing travesties e.g NSA surveillance, unequal policing, and I could even throw in Epstein's killing in there if it makes you feel better.
These are not in the same ethical ballpark, and one doesn't have to be a US nationalist to recognize this.
If China was so great the Children of the US rich would go there to study. Instead they either stay in the US, or go to Europe/the Anglosphere if they want to be more cosmopolitan.