These types of people are okay with Cuba and Vietnam because they're just kind of... There. Neither are going to make any type of change that is going to shake up their lives in the Imperial Core.

China, on the other hand, has the economic and military chops to actually compete against and maybe even topple the West. That type of change would require these people to actually step up and put their talk into action.

I can't think of a better explanation for why they love Vietnam but not China, despite being essentially the same system (billionaires and all).