They’re not terrified because China poses an ideological threat. They’re terrified because it doesn’t. It was very easy to convince Western European governments to line up against the USSR because it posed a serious ideological threat to their ruling classes. But China will do business with anyone regardless of what kind of government you have. They’re not interested in domestic politics in any country beyond getting along and having a productive trade relationship. The US ruling class and their mandarins are used to calling the shots in the “free world” but China gives other countries’ rulers another option for patronage that doesn’t have many strings attached.
They’re not terrified because China poses an ideological threat. They’re terrified because it doesn’t. It was very easy to convince Western European governments to line up against the USSR because it posed a serious ideological threat to their ruling classes. But China will do business with anyone regardless of what kind of government you have. They’re not interested in domestic politics in any country beyond getting along and having a productive trade relationship. The US ruling class and their mandarins are used to calling the shots in the “free world” but China gives other countries’ rulers another option for patronage that doesn’t have many strings attached.