Why do people keep assuming it's a binary choice?

That's not what person you replied to said. Both "phone home and can be turned off remotely", there is no choice.

If your problem is "phones home and can be turned off remotely", then maybe you should solve this instead of basing policy on country of origin? When you praise that instead of chinese CCP you are being spied on by your american Cuckold Capitalist Party, remember who controls your local police.