Not sure on the relevance on freedoms and election rigging but this statement -
"Third, although primary education in China is quite good in urban areas, good primary education in China is still not as pervasive nationwide as it was in Japan by the 1980s. That's illustrated in part by how few people in China (compared to Japan) are even conversant in the national language. Barely more than half the population is conversant in standard Mandarin Chinese"
To me means they have huge room for easy improvement and as such can continue growth for years.
"Third, although primary education in China is quite good in urban areas, good primary education in China is still not as pervasive nationwide as it was in Japan by the 1980s. That's illustrated in part by how few people in China (compared to Japan) are even conversant in the national language. Barely more than half the population is conversant in standard Mandarin Chinese"
To me means they have huge room for easy improvement and as such can continue growth for years.
I think you've successfully argued the opposite.