The AA schedule is changing sometime in the near future to better PEK times.
The PEK-HKG-PEK flights are both true KA flights. I am actually purchasing the held itinerary tomorrow morning. To get the fare bucket I needed, the only choices left are the KA flight or CX's codeshare of it. (I did see some of the CX codeshare CA operated flights at other times...also not available).
I am glad to hear the transit is relatively smooth there. I had assumed that KA would actually have representatives there...