It's the way they do it. China uses actually counted real numbers. US counts small areas, then multiplies numbers for a wider area. Then cooks the numbers anyway.

Recently a couple US think tanks literally used the argument that China's numbers are unreliable because "authoritarianism" and that really they are collapsing. Then compared to completely made-up US numbers. Then came to the conclusion that the US should fight China in a war, because it will win. Shortly after, the US dispatched more carrier strike groups to China Sea.

The US economy is collapsing, and the elites know it. They are trying to cause confrontations against their rivals to buy themselves time and because in a couple decades they'll probably no longer have the capacity to go against them militarily or diplomatically. Also, to further enrich themselves. This sort of propaganda is aimed at manufacturing consent for war.

every accusation is projection

It certainly does highlight the pervasive nature of nationalistic fervor, which often clouds people's judgment and prevents them from seeing things clearly. When it comes to international relations, objectivity and a willingness to acknowledge the truth, even if it goes against one's preconceived notions or desired outcomes, is essential for making informed decisions and achieving success. In US, as you pointed out, this is often lacking in many quarters, leading to misguided policies and ultimately to self harm.