Years ago, I heard a joke to the effect that if you wanted to seize power in America, you would have to find it first. While Trump is doing his best to challenge this proposition, it is largely true. Power in America is highly decentralized, partly by historical accident, and partly because the Founding Fathers wanted it that way. American government is designed to maximize personal freedom, not efficiency.
The Chinese system is obviously completely different. There are few checks on the central government in practice, and none in theory. The only limits on its power involve time, space, and quick access to information. With AI, even these are dwindling rapidly.
Which is better? The pandemic is a case in point. In the long run, the Chinese system clearly worked better. However, that system also limits transparency and discourages local officials from taking any initiative to solve problems. The fact that the virus got out of control in the first place is largely due to those features of the system.
The bottom line is that the American system is typically slow and creaky, but is perfectly capable of mobilizing public opinion and working competently in a crisis–just ask the Nazis. A more efficient, centralized system also magnifies any mistakes that the Chinese central government may make; the Cultural Revolution is a perfect example. And what if you get a Donald Trump (think Bo Xilai) as the leader of such a system? It could happen, and the potential impacts boggle the mind.