Engineer
Major
In aviation is the same, J-10 was designed like the F-14A was designed to take the new F110-GE-400 engines and replace the TF30-P-414A engines, F-14A was later re-manufactured into the F-14B by just re-engine it.
Some were new built F-14B but many were F-14A upgraded into F-14Bs, J-10 most have a similar design.
The question here is the especulation about why this has taken so long to replace the engine with WS-10s
Those are merely your excuses to boost your opinion without any real objective and proof. You are neither an engineer at Chengdu nor do you have official documents from CAC and PLAAF showing "J-10 was designed like the F-14A" and that both aircraft "must have a similar design". Until you can provide official documents from PLAAF saying J-10A can use WS-10A, all you have said is just your fantasy.