Lesson learned. Sounds like the OP doesn't have a lot of experience flying to China. Can't blame folks if they aren't familiar....you live you learn.

Let me think about my last big China delay...oh wait it was my last flight from PVG just last month, which was 6 hours delayed, kinda (fortunately i didn't experience most of it. Because although I was on the 6pm something flight originally, I swapped into the 1pm flight which was still on the ground at 4pm when I arrived at PVG. We ultimately took off on the "1pm" flight finally at 7:30pm, and most passengers on board were still the original delayed folks. My original 6pm flight was subsequently delayed hours later). This is par for the course in the absolute mess which is mainland Chinese ATC!

If I has $100 for every hour delay I got due to Chinese ATC, I wouldn't be working anymore. Cathay deserves a lot of blame for....other weaknesses. But this ain't one of them.