Most people around me don’t think about them, as there aren’t many (any?) around where I live.

Personally it’s a bit different, as I work with a lot of them when I’m traveling on business. They’re like me: they do what they do because they have bills to pay. The only difference is that I butcher the pronunciation when using their names.

While probably not sanctioned by the Chinese state (or our employer), I did get quite a few chuckles because of an offhand comment/joke about Taiwan that doesn’t align with Xi’s worldview or policy. This leads me to conclude that all the reporting about “China is doing X/Y/Z, omagerd!” Is limited to the state, and while the state certainly has its supporters, the populace as a whole don’t care and just want to live their lives like anyone else would.