Could Communism Through Continuous Reform after a Revolution?

Sorry for horrible title, let me explain

I'm a fairly new commie with some readings, and I've been thinking: is communism or at least an advanced socialist society achievable through continuous reform if the State is controlled by the working class? China in my eyes is advancing socialism even with a bourgeois class still owning much of the means of production, so the rule of capital is still in place, with the central socialist government using it to its needs. When I speak to my comrades in my party (UP in Brazil, they're ML - staunch anti-China "officially" but there are plenty of pro-China inside of the party) the anti-China ones always say there can't be socialist advancement while the bourgeoisie exist, or while there are market relations.

Anyways, I'm sorry if I was not very clear:

Is the betterment of the working class and a push to communist relations to the means of production possible through gradual means when the working class is in charge of the State and the economy?