Professor Chen has good insight. China's dictators, from the ones ruling China hundreds of years ago to today's Xi, all have a legitimacy issue. None of them was authorized by the people they govern. To prove that they have legitimacy, they have to resort to extravaganza to show that they are superhuman, and therefore should have the right to rule. That's why Xi would spend tens of billions of dollars to build a completely useless and unnecessary bridge linking Hong Kong and Zhuhai. Although it has no real use for travel, it serves as great backdrop for selfies.
North Korea's Kim is also a master in organizing the world's largest Grand Mass Gymnastics and Artistic Performance Arirang.
I have to say 陈志武教授 has been brain-washed by 西方中心主义 too long. He does not understand anything about China or Chinese culture.
No one in China questions the authority of CCP - which is granted by Chinese (not by white people)
Since the first emperor (Qin Shihuang)(why we call him the first emperor of China?), 统治 has been coming from the emperor's stamp - whoever has/gain the stamp, who will be the next emperor, or whoever is the master of emperor palace, who is the emperor.
Professor Chen is a total banana - knows nothing about China