Hi,
I agree with #1..
Having flown CA numerous times both regionally within Asia as well as long-haul (SFO-PEK) I would say that they're not "bad" at all. It is, in my opinion, that they suffer (if you will) from a few things.
1) As a standalone carrier, they're relatively new. That newness does tend to mean their staff - ground or otherwise, may not have the same depth of experiences as a new(we) employee will.. This doesn't mean the staff are bad- they're not.. But at times, experience can really help out and positively impact a situation.
2) They operate in one of, if not the most, competitive regions for top-tier carrier.. Asia has more than it's fair share of top ranked/rated (however you choose to rank/rate them) airlines.. So the "bar" in Asia is set quite high.
Again, like the experience issue, this doesn't mean they're bad - they're not... But when compared to what some rank as "best in class" they're not (yet) in or of that caliber (IMHO)
Delays... Yes, the PRCs airports do suffer from an unusually higher percentage than other regions.. But in most cases, these delays are airport /airspace issues to which I can't place any "blame" if you will, on the operating carrier.
Would I recommend them? Yes... At the end of the day, you'll get there.. Probably on-time or reasonably close to it.. You'll probably have an uneventful ride... Get a bite to bite and drink (it won't be memorable, but it will be decent to good) along the way.. And get your bags back.
So.. I think you'd have a good basic ride.
Travel Safe,