Authoritarianism isn't real it's a pejorative used by the unintelligent and uninformed to smear those the west deems bad. All states, movements, groups under class society are authoritarian. The question is not is there authority (as the answer is obviously yes exercising authority is not optional so long as antagonistic class relations remain) but authority of what class, used for what ends.

And what of Taiwan? A forward base of imperialism kept split from the mainland by the US intervention around the start of the Korean war stoping the full resolution of the Chinese revolution. "The union were so imperialist when they stopped tolerating the confederacy". You should investigate things before slinging lazy gotchas and talking points you don't seem to even grasp the reality of.

Also I don't think you really understand what imperialism means. Imperialism is a specific thing. It is the division of the world among great powers to enforce super-exploitation via financial dominance and military coercion. China does not partake in this on the contrary China offers non coercive developmental pathway alternatives to the global south breaking the reliance on IMF loans and the conditionalities attached. As well as backing states in resisting foreign interference such as the DPRK, Cuba and Iran.