Isn't this whole new cold war all about the US trying to contain China? the failed "prosperity then freedom" China policy for the past thirty years all about? It's perfectly normal to not care, but "Policy makers" care.
It has become clear that China is not on the road towards freedom. That theory failed.
And it is because that failed, that we need to take a new approach to things. The way to get China to change, is to pressure them to change.
And we can pressure them, with economic pressure, by engaging in some of the same tactics that they use against us.
If they are going to defect, eventually we have to respond in kind, in order to not put ourselves at a disadvantage.