Why is corn starch the default thickener in Chinese cooking, and where does it fall short?

Why is corn starch the default thickener in Chinese cooking, and where does it fall short?
Corn starch is the most widely used starch in Chinese kitchens, valued as a thickening agent for sauces and soups, a marinade that keeps pork and beef tender, and a coating for fried dishes such as sweet-and-sour fish. Its high water absorption produces a crisp shell after frying, and because it holds shape once cooled, it is also common in baking to lower flour gluten and add softness. The trade-off is weak water retention: fried coatings made with corn starch alone crisp quickly but tend to soften as they cool, which is why it is often blended with potato starch in batter.