It is good and indeed the market rate, at least the money anyway. $18k is net of Chinese tax, their rates are very similar to those in Australia. Under the double taxation agreement you don't get taxed twice, you just pay any balance if the Gross income would have incurred more tax if paid in Oz versus China. A rough calculation indicates very little if any would be owing, maybe 10k, so its roughly 18k in the hand. But flogging around in China...that's another story.