No. What I was trying to point out is that no national leader...

No. What I was trying to point out is that no national leader can ever "micro-manage" millions of people. ie. No matter the policies determined by the leaders, there will always be functionaries of the state apparatus, or isolated "cells" of such people working in unison (ie.governors, policemen, military folk, magistrates, customs officers, taxmen etc.etc.etc.) who will thwart official policy. That is that will do things off their own bat that the political leadership would not have wanted nor sanctioned had they been aware of them. This is even more true where the population to be managed is 1.5 billion (China) than where it is 22 million (Australia) and the state apparatus is thus necessarily much larger and more complex.

In China "face" is very important. This has always been the case even during the time of the Emperors. Asian people in general do not EVER air their dirty laundry in public. Its a cultural thing.

Outsiders dealing with China and who really wish to make a difference on a (for example) humanitarian issue --- as opposed to merely "scoring points" in the public domain (with the possible hidden agenda of fomenting or justifying a convenient conflict) would do well to understand that point and to voice their concerns discretely and in private. Thus the offending functionaries may well just quietly disappear from the public view never to be seen or heard of again, and the humanitarian aspect greatly improved without the Chinese state and its leadership "losing face".

The world, freind, is not black & white; good or bad. All (particularly in international politics) is some shade of grey!