I was in a similar position before Chinese New Year.

I didn't run away as such, I just simply told my old school I was leaving and went back home.

I replaced my passport as it was due to run out next year. The new passport had a new number markedly different from my old one.I had heard some people say it will work and some said it won't.

In my case it was the latter. I was formerly working in Jiangsu and had applied for a new job in Beijing. All was going well until I received this email from the school I was going to work for.

'We have submit your application online to the Education Bureau and have receive a message saying your file is to be manual review and must wait for their news before we can go ahead'.

About a week later I received this message:

'The Education Bureau have refer your file back as you are already in SAFEA system in Jiangsu and have linked your application together. You need to ask them for a release letter and expert certificate cancel letter as we cannot continue without it. We can see the detail of your old school. If you want we can ask for it.'

So clearly the systems are now linked to distinguish between passport changes. It maybe that Beijing is super strict but given the inability to continue I am sure it has been rolled out nationally.

What I ended up doing was both me and my new school asking them for the documents. They gave the release letter begrudgingly but would not give the FEC Cancellation notice. However it appeared they did cancel it online and then I was able to move on with my new school. They found some method to override that bit of the equation.

It was then a full month before I received the invitation letter in Washington state before I could apply to go back to China.

I would try to work it out with your school.