Haha the Chinese do not come from a "communist" background, unless you're referring to a temporary socialist state of affairs back in the 60s and 70s.
Given that Mao's lunatic lot came to power in 1949, the 50s were hardly a whole bunch of fun either. As I recall, it was really only in late 80s under Deng that executive policy direction seriously changed. So it'd be more like 4 rather than 2 decades in the 'temporary' economic wilderness (i.e. a lifetime for billions). And as for not being 'communist' in the worst sense of that word, I'd beg to differ. It was a totalitarian nightmare for most people for the most part of it. You can't spin this any other way.
That China today is very different doesn't change the past nor the price.