Sure, there’s censorship in the West, but it’s not nearly as scary or effective as the East’s. Genius does not regularly spring under the sword of Damocles.
you watched too much MSM western media.
what happened in the last 12 years since Xi's rise to the very top is the complete opposite to what you described. just check all those emerging sectors that had huge growth in that 12 years, like mobile internet, 5G, EVs, renewable energy, robotics, AI, quantum, cryptocurrency, what they have in common? you'd be blind if you couldn't even tell that China is now in the top2 positions for ALL those sectors. all these happened during Xi's term.
we are talking about a country used to be dead poor just 40 years ago - Xi used to live in a cave when he was young!