verification
Never in over 5 years of flying in the middle kingdom (at two companies) have i heard of a pilot paying money for the licence verification. When i applied to the UK CAA, i had to pay the UK CAAC about 14UK pounds, to get a letter saying my licence was real and giving the CAAC (china) permission to contact the CAA to check- upon giving the airline the receipt for 14 UK pounds the company gave me the money back as expenses. I paid nothing in China, the airline should and does pay for anything you need to do in China that is licence, training or visa related.
Which airline and agency is it? Name and shame!!