Because that "throwing off the shackles" was moreso in actuality a mediated transition into neocolonial status with a western-friendly comprador class in charge. You see this in many "former colonies" that just so happen to be completely dominated by the "former colonizers". In Africa, up until very recently, France still controlled massive sections of the continent indirectly via economic and diplomatic coercion and france-friendly puppet dictators.
Not every "independence" is created equal. Some nations truly gain independence and forge their own path, such as Cuba and China, but even they still have to deal with a lot of contradictions dealing with economic ties to their former colonizers.
....more imperialist than Imperial China? Hell, even the ROC held more territory than the PRC. Taiwan literally claims more land than the mainland currently occupies, such as the entirety of Mongolia.
Any person who thinks China is imperialist either A) Doesn't know what imperialism is, B) Believes silly lies about China that are easily and readily proven false, or C) Are themselves the ones spreading those lies for ideological reasons.
I'm told by an Indian comrade that much of the media class and the bourgeoisie are still educated in England and the US, giving the UK and US a great deal of influence over the comprador ruling class.
Not just the upper class, most of their college educated population speaks English fluently. Although that is a minority of their total population, it is still over 80 million people.