Are you a "West Wing" fan? The whole point of a unitary centrally-controlled state apparatus like that in China is that leadership of the type you describe doe

Are you a "West Wing" fan? The whole point of a unitary centrally-controlled state apparatus like that in China is that leadership of the type you describe does not exist. If it did exist, it would not exist locally. Local officials are to follow directions, which come from more central authorities. Sometimes they follow directions poorly, because they're more concerned with their personal well-being than that of their subjects. That's understandable, because those orders themselves came from the same motivation on their bosses' parts. Am I criticizing the form of government that the Chinese people endure? Yes! It is much like most other forms of government endured by humanity.