I would say this is actually not something very specific to China or East Asia. People actually act like this all around the world, this is especially true in t

I would say this is actually not something very specific to China or East Asia. People actually act like this all around the world, this is especially true in the US, where connections and background are important for a variety of things (even more so than in China), quid pro quo is a commonality, and interest coalitions are unbreakable and control everything. This is just how the human society work more or less at the current moment.