Isn't the First Class on Singapore a result of being twinned with Munich? It would be interesting to see the MAN/MUC split by class. It is a little surprising that EK offer First, more so in the sense that who in the name of God in this day and age pays for long haul F out of their own pocket? It's a dying, though far from dead commodity. It's interesting that none of the North Atlantic carriers nor Qatar or Etihad have offered a F cabin, which is, I think, the future. However Emirates are clearly onto something with the disposable income high value brigade....
Can MAN sustain a service to China? I would say yes, however that might best be Hong Kong for connectivity rather than the mainland. It remains a mystery why Cathay is alway "soon". If Air China can afford to run a thrice weekly Gatwick service, perhaps couple the other four days to MAN, the A330-200 is the right size for an entry level service.