You'll have to specify which era of Chinese history you'd like to ask about- although the general outline of Chinese administration was set in classical times there were large changes over time in how officials were recruited, how taxes were levied, how territories were governed and how the central government was organized. There are also various points in history where we can talk about something like a colonial policy in China, but again each time and place called for a different approach.

I don't think I'm qualified to give a response on how the British or French empires were run, but I can elaborate on Chinese government if you narrow down the question.