It's as communist as America is a democracy these days.

It's plastered all over our slogans but America's more an Oligarchic Republic these days, while Chinese imagery and slogans is 100% Communist but it is more a Bureaucratic Oligarchy.

In America the leader is selected by the elite, chosen amongst the most appealing to voters by the wealthiest, and elections are decided by money with a huge dose of populism. There's pure democracy at the local level, but we don't exactly come together as a nation and vote on issues of national policy (like Athens used to do). We select amongst a limited choice of people, people chosen by politicians, who are most influenced by the richest because that's where their donations are coming from.

In China the leader is selected by the elite, chosen amongst the most competent of the elite, and selections are decided by power and influence with a huge dose of back-room dealings. There's democracy at the local level, but at the upper echelons it's a closed knit group of bureaucrats and politicians jerking each other off.

If you really lay it out the biggest difference for the people living in China or the USA is the degree which the government controls freedom of speech and upholds justice. Chinese justice is much more cruel and efficient, but USA's justice can become a litigious quagmire though it is much much more fair.

China also tries to strictly control what its people watch/browse like a father treats his 10 year old daughter while the USA doesn't really bother. This is probably the biggest reason I wouldn't want to live in China.