> I'd love to visit but unfortunately it's my understanding that I'd have to install tracking software on my phone and check in with police every step of the way.

Uh, what? I've never encountered this in my trips to China.

You do have an ID scanned (like literally, on a photocopier) when you check into a hotel.

Ya, that’s whack. Even the police/hotel thing isn’t really that strict, it depends on the locality…

People think China is authoritarian with effective central control. The first part is right but the second part is far from the truth. China is a bit more lawless than the average western country.