Originally Posted by
WillowRun 6-3
WideScreen
While there's no valid disputing the overall contention you've advanced - namely, the current government of mainland China does not start from the premise that the "rules-based international order" applies in the first instance to their country or its actions - in this particular case, there is an important qualification that IMO must be attached.
For six years, ICAO's Secretary General was a veteran aviation lawyer and diplomat from China (2015-2021). This SecGen possessed and applied great knowledge, insight, even charisma. And: the SecGen though not representing the PRC as a Member State, nonetheless was (again, IMO) highly representative, or symbolic at least, of the entirety of China's civil aviation sector, domestic as well as international. And would you guess what this SecGen's most consistent, and probably most forcefully if not also persuasively articulated theme was during her tenure?
Standardization. The critical importance of standardization. (This SLF was in the audience for several of the SecGen's addresses and appearances, in fact.) Not least, the SecGen had risen through other roles in the Secretariat, with distinguished service. After some long years at ICAO, her official pronouncements *should* have been consistent with China's policy.
So despite rhetoric to the contrary, and even, despite the linearity of the Western concept of precedent, by its current actions China has set a precedent the entire world civil aviation sector can see and recognize. Its participation at the highest level of ICAO was just an act - one performed with high fidelity by a wonderful and accomplished individual - but as far as national policy of PRC is concerned, just a dramatic imitation nevertheless.
I didn't check your facts, though, we should not forget, your China hero did "leave" the China administration 7 years ago, and that the China hardliners only started to reach "the power" some 5 years ago. By the time, the Xi worshiping started to surface, so to say. So, yeah, I think, he is from a different generation of power, in China, not to say, he might have been pushed forward by China, assuming, he would be acceptable for the ROW (The same way Powell got pushed forward to present the fake-evidence to invade Iraq, simply because the ROW would swallow the obvious nonsense story, when Powell would present it). And in that position though maybe less adhering to the China government, ehhh, PRC, policies, though, he is still a Chinese, with all options for the government to enforce what he does, either by direct threats, or by threatening his family. And, yep, China does do so, at a large scale.
Anyway, let us see, what is going to happen. Maybe, I am wrong (apologies upfront), and I just do overestimate the China Strategic Chess playing capabilities, Go seems to be a much more difficult game than Chess, anyway.