It's a good demonstration of what Apple's sideloading ban means.
With sideloading, Apple customers could make their own decision on whether or not to make a stand. The sideloading ban takes that decision away from them and hands power directly to authoritarian regimes.
I guess it's up to the device makers. Afaik, sideloading is popular in China, so I'd be surprised if it were disabled.
Phones made for the Mainland China market usually don't have Google Play or other Google stuff and there's lots of stuff that doesn't get published to Chinese app stores but isn't prohibited. You've got to sideload those apps, if you can find an apk.
With sideloading, Apple customers could make their own decision on whether or not to make a stand. The sideloading ban takes that decision away from them and hands power directly to authoritarian regimes.