Of course they are on the road to socialism, that has never been disputed. But the victories for the common people that the article highlights - increased social safety nets, the eradication of abject poverty, welfare - are only possible due to the generation of wealth caused by Deng's capitalist reforms. China is currently capitalist and will continue to use capitalism to secure a better world position until they no longer need it. At that point, they will have a strong socialist infrastructure solidified under decades of state capitalism.

You don't need to own land for capital to be generated and flow. Being forced to rent land puts a cap on things, obviously, but fettered capitalism is not the same as socialism, a mistake I see constantly made on all sides of the political map. Being on the road is not the same as being at a destination.

Also, by posting this article you all but proved that horseshoe theory is just a fucking circle, but that's a discussion for a different day.