Ah yes, CCP, the glorious protectors of autonomy and independent thought.
Parent sort-of has a point. Pro-autonomy messaging could be promoted cynically overseas in order to stoke negative sentiment towards policy that would hurt the CCP's interests. Never assume honesty when it comes to messaging.
About as much as the USSR were protectors of minority rights, but that didn't prevent: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/And_you_are_lynching_Negroes