You are on the right track. That's one of the reasons China makes inroads across global south, because it's willing to "make a deal". Another reason is that China doesn't want any sort of commitments to international standards, democracy etc.
Western governments offer 'help', but it's rarely what local governments want. And often it means publicly complying with rules imposed from the 'outside'. When the 'outside' includes your former colonial overlord and you have turned anti-colonialism into most important aspect of your political identity (for example African Union has no problem with dictators, or genocide, but you better not have capital on different continent) you'd be undermining your regime by accepting it.
In the meantime China offers exactly what you ask for, and doesn't ask about minorities or how long your presidential term is.
For now it's mostly working out for locals, their governments at least. In the long run ... Congo had very beneficial relationship with Portugal during the first century or so, not so much afterwards.[0]
There are those who believe that conditions such as committing to international standards and democracy, even though well-intended, are actually counter-productive — at least during a country's development phase.
It's indeed an open question how beneficial the relationship will be in the long term. But it's not at all guaranteed that it will end up like Portugal. China was a big naval power during the Ming dynasty, but didn't colonize Africa or South-East Asia. One should be careful with projecting western history onto China.
Some high-profile Chinese figures recognize the problem that BRI projects don't always end up benefitting people. For example, Zhang Chun, researcher at the Center for African Studies at Yunnan University, said this:
"There is a lack of an accurate analysis of Africa's benefits from the Belt and Road Initiative and that needs to be remedied"
Western governments offer 'help', but it's rarely what local governments want. And often it means publicly complying with rules imposed from the 'outside'. When the 'outside' includes your former colonial overlord and you have turned anti-colonialism into most important aspect of your political identity (for example African Union has no problem with dictators, or genocide, but you better not have capital on different continent) you'd be undermining your regime by accepting it.
In the meantime China offers exactly what you ask for, and doesn't ask about minorities or how long your presidential term is.
For now it's mostly working out for locals, their governments at least. In the long run ... Congo had very beneficial relationship with Portugal during the first century or so, not so much afterwards.[0]
[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Kongo#Foundation_of...