And the UK state pension paid to expats in China will be paid to you forever and anon at the initial amount when you claim it. It won't be increased in line with inflation for you, unless you are in Blighty or in foreign countries that have treaties for reciprocal arrangements. In effect, it'll be frozen.

The UK government were taken to the European Court of Human Rights in Brussels by a group of adversely affected expats as a class action.

Though the court found in favor of the complainants, it rejected the claim, preferring to accept the UK government's defense that there wasn't the money in the coffers available to cough up!

So, like me, I suggest you don't buy in to that pension fund to make up for the missing years during which you have taught abroad, as you'll be short-changed if you choose to retire and stay in China. Your Chinese spouse too, in particular circumstances.