Wrong. China is a mixed economy, with the state-owned enterprises dominating the economy, in nearly every industry. What private capital does exist, is in SEZs (special economic zones), and it is restricted and limited by the state, to serve its long-term goals. The chinese people collectively own the economy, the socialist surplus being used to eradicate poverty and raise the average wage by 4x in the previous 25 years.

• The backbone of the economy is state ownership and socialist planning. 24 / 25 of the top revenue companies are state-owned and planned. 70% of the top 500 companies are State-owned. 1, 2 The largest bank, construction, electricity, and energy companies in the world, are CPC controlled entities, subject to the 5 year plans laid out by the central committee.
• Workplace democracy in action in the CPC.
• Is modern day china communist? Is it staying true to communist values?
• Didn’t China go Capitalist with Deng Xiaoping? Didn’t it liberalize its economy? Is China’s drastic decrease in poverty a result of the increase in free market capitalist policies?
• Is the CPC committed to communism?
• The Long Game and Its Contradictions. Audiobook
• The myth of Chinese state capitalism. Did Deng really betray Chinese socialism?

You work for your boss, you buy stuff, you rent from a private landlord, etc.

Socialism doesn’t mean you don’t have a boss, buy stuff, or pay for housing.