Is China's communism actually a meritocracy?

This is somewhat mind boggling. Personally, I have no belief in communism. I think it's a plainly ridiculous system basing its perceived perfection on impossible criteria. It does not take into account that humans are in control, not machines. And with no opposition with any power, and the ability to pick and choose human rights based on what suits them, this leads to corruption and bit by bit the whole system disintegrates like we've seen with a lot of communist countries. But not China, at least not yet. Being a believer in capitalism, or more specifically the secular freedoms we are used to in the west - freedom of speech, press, religion (including irreligion), etc. Capitalism can be seen as just one of many freedoms - the freedom to engage in business for profit, or something like that. So in a way you can say the ability to be a capitalist is just a side effect of all the other freedoms we have.
China today is today a corrupt country in great agony - with a huge need for improvement. I haven't been there, but that's what I've understood from people that have. People in power can apparently get away with practically anything, including hit and run when a car (with some high ranking official or their family members) take to the pavement (sidewalk) to save time. I read this on a blogpost by a non-Chinese who had been driving in China for some time. I'll link to it if I can find it again. It's safe to say there's corruption in all levels. Don't get me started on human rights - clearly they have a long way to go!
But Eric X. Lee claims China is actually more a meritocracy than a communist country. This I find interesting. I know meritocracy definitely has its merits. Meritocracy is what runs practically all open source projects, which as we know beats most proprietary equivalents hands down. So could a country run as a meritocracy work? Based on experience from the open source world, I will give it the benefit of the doubt - but only if they can manage to get rid of the plague that eventually will bring down all socialist/communist regimes - or any regime really, if it has too much of it - corruption.



Link to original:
http://www.ted.com/talks/eric_x_li_a_tale_of_two_political_systems.html

It's a bold claim though, and not one that is rooted in reality I think. It's quite possible that the author is basically just one of the many people trying to explain the CCP's atrocities with nice words, trying to make it look legitimate.

China is, in my opinion, run by a bunch of bandits or mafia that calls themselves the Chinese Communist Party, and ironically, they also claim to be a democracy! Yeah....

Bandits shouldn't be allowed to run countries in my opinion!