Won't change the nature of Chinese culture or the Chinese themselves?
While I agree there is such a thing as culture, the Chinese (or any other group) can also do just about anything with equal propensity. As I have said earlier history is by definition something of a contigency. China certainly has enough of unlawful disorderly famine ridden events after being unified in its long and bumpy history.
You mentioned law, order and putting the community above the individual smells suspiciously close to the so called 'Asian values' espoused by some Asian leaders.With such values, they reasoned individual rights, freedom of speech, press, assembly, normal checks and balances (that any good democracy should have) can be de-emphasised. In fact such 'values' only help to confer moral legitimacy for their hard line undemocratic authoritarian regimes.
Democracy, law and order, individual rights are universal values not cultural dictates. Korea and Taiwan didn't choose harsh military dictatorships after WW2 because of a cultural craving for strong ruler type.