Governments ultimately draw their authority from their ability to keep their citizens from overthrowing them... China is doing a good enough job right now, even if you don't think so, and even if there are some bad things happening there. But the reality is that even if they were to submit to internationally audited and monitored elections overnight, it'd still be subject to the flaws of a democractic system (private interest group, big money influence, etc) that would taint the ideal of a fair election. A democractic election is ultimately still a proxy of power distribution. You'll end up with more of the same most likely, but with less excuses to point fingures at when they commit unpopular acts (for example they may still imprison Uighurs, expand in the Indian ocean, and threaten Taiwan).

Rather than making such strong remarks telling Chinese people what they are, you can just go there and ask them yourself instead of armchair posturing.

You could “just go there” and start asking questions.

I wouldn’t though, lest you be arrested like Michael Spavor.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-58168587

Not saying it’s ok what they did but the article does reveal the real political reason behind this:

Critics have accused China of treating both Spavor and Kovrig as political bargaining chips, held as part of what is known as "hostage diplomacy".

Wasn’t so much the asking questions as it was a diplomat used as a bargaining chip since a Huawei exec was also captured.

So what you're saying is that the CCP took the two Michaels hostage for no other reason than to be political bargaining chips?

...that's exactly why I wouldn't travel to China whilst Xi is power.