It's not surprising, I am a Marxist-Leninist, and even internationally Marxist-Leninists recognise Mao Zedong thought as Leninist theory. I think both the USSR and China suffered from both internal and external pressure, and where the USSR broke, China would bend. The system has to become less arbitrary for workers, and assure that they have living incomes no matter what. But I think Deng and Xi's efforts to resist the USA has been very impressive, even if there were some tough years in the 90s.