> Do you think China suffers from a collective inferiority complex?
Might have something to do with loss of face perhaps which is an important concept in many asian countries [0]. From my understanding you have to be very careful with criticism in many Asian countries, especially with regards to authority. If someone has higher authority than you (e.g. boss at work) he can generally do no wrong or if he does wrong in some way (e.g. makes bad business deal), you don't confront your boss.
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[0]: https://www.tripsavvy.com/saving-face-and-losing-face-145830...