they have you for life and you have a job for life.
Nope. If you lose your medical as an expat, you first of all have to fight for your LOL-money, and you'll be straight on your way home.
There are also lots of invisible perks, assistance with house purchase, medical treatment for your family etc.
True, but you'll get that anywhere else, too. And once the times have changed during the next recession, then China won't give you any more extras either.
In extremis if you lose you medical for any reason they will continue to employ you at something like 70%-80% salary until retirement and then pay you a pension.
What makes you think that? I've seen guys getting demoted to be a First Officer prior to retirement after 17 years of work for some made-up reason, just so that they could save money on his pension.
Except for a few start-ups all the F/Os are Chinese. An English comprehension test is required for their licence and as English has been taught in all Chinese high schools for the last fifteen years the standard is quite high. This is helped by the large number of native English speaking teachers in China who teach English as opposed to Chinglish.
Admittedly so; there is an English-test which is not easy at all. And even more am I surprised at the standards of language skills. Many captains hardly speak English at all. Younger F/O's are slightly better, but often still below desirable standards for professional pilots. Go and listen to LAX-ATC and you'll see what I mean.
But anyway, this is beside the point.
There is a different way of doing things in China that has been established over the last three thousand years. You cannot impose your rules so you have to accept theirs. It can be frustrating or downright bloody unfair, but you cannot change it. If you don’t think you can cope with it, don’t come.
Exactly.