Any rational or truthful reporting will, of course, be highly critical of the government. But most reporting on China in the US and Europe is very far from this

Any rational or truthful reporting will, of course, be highly critical of the government. But most reporting on China in the US and Europe is very far from this ideal, and swings over into demonization and absurd caricature. Nearly every story on China is intensely negative - even reporting on things that are mostly positive, such as the reduction of extreme poverty or the successful epidemic control measures. By all means, report on political repression in Xinjiang, but don't try to manipulate people by throwing around absurd accusations of "genocide." This is causing a backlash in China, and among people who know about China to any extent. There's very little attempt to explain to Western audiences, in broad outlines, what Chinese society is like, what the major government policies are, or what the background of various conflicts is. That's what I miss most in reporting in the US and Europe. It comes across as a crude attempt to demonize a country, and to manipulate public opinion into supporting an aggressive posture towards a geopolitical rival.