China’s top diplomat has urged Japan and South Korea to foster a sense of “strategic autonomy” from the West and cooperate with Beijing to “revitalize Asia,” amid rising tensions between China and the two neighboring American allies.
China is a one-party state, lacks an independent judiciary, and exerts strict control over the media and public expression of ideas. To call it “democratic” is somewhat perverse.
You can say the same about liberal democracy.
If you’re not too fussy about the details, perhaps.