Equally, were he based in the UK (or even the US during wartime, despite the First Amendment), he wouldn't be able to say things those governments don't approve of.
So yes to some extent it might be CCP propaganda, but that doesn't mean it's always wrong, and the alternative is western propaganda, which is also sometimes wrong
One difference is that in the UK/US it has in practice only applied during actual war time. I remember the instant switch in tone of reporting from the BBC the moment war broke out in 2003.
And I have never seen it apply to individuals in UK/US. (Post WW2.)
In China it's all the time. And the control is _so_ much stricter.
There definitely is some relevant stuff, but unfortunately by definition I can't say what it is.
Also I would point out that there is a lower tier of things that are not exactly illegal to say per se, but will still result in you being ostracised, probably getting fired etc. Especially if you're a university professor, academics probably have among the lowest freedom of speech of anyone
Seeing as people like Tim Pool were based in the US to say things to large youtube audiences Funded and directed by the Kremlin, this does not seem true.
So yes to some extent it might be CCP propaganda, but that doesn't mean it's always wrong, and the alternative is western propaganda, which is also sometimes wrong