Widebody Transport
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 100; Flight Crew Total 13700; Flight Crew Type 3000
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Incursion Taxiway
Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Human Factors
Pushed back and started. Called for taxi clearance. 'Taxi L2; hold short 23R.' I began taxi. I noted the signs that should have indicated L2 were white with no lettering. I could see my position on taxi chart; though and knew where I was. There was a Cat 2 line; but I was cleared to hold short of runway and weather was VFR. I taxi up to and held short of runway. FO (First Officer) switched frequency to Tower. The Controller answered and said' You were supposed to hold short of Cat 2.' I told FO that was not clearance and do not reply.We were eventually cleared for takeoff. On takeoff run; about 70 kt; Controller said 'Aircraft X; taxi to N9; etc'. I told FO we were cleared for takeoff and tell them. He told them we were previously cleared for takeoff. No reply. Very distracting. FO missed 80 kt. Call; V1 and rotate calls due to that. Remainder of takeoff went ok. Communications are very difficult in China; ROC; Hong Kong; due to poor [English] language skills of controllers and overall impressions that they lack situational awareness.
Air carrier pilot reported a runway incursion due clearance confusion and language barrier issues.