As I'm not American,I hadn't heard of two-year associate degrees until now.
Where I come from,degree means a university degree,which can be got after three or four years of university study,the three year one termed an 'ordinary' degree,while the four-year one is usually called an 'honours' degree.
Of course,you Americans say you "graduate" from high school,but in the UK,we humbly call ourselves secondary school leavers after leaving secondary schools for good to continue our education at university.
Your definition of a qualified EFL teacher in China makes interesting reading.And your criteria for hiring such teachers is interesting too.It's a good thing for many FT's here that the vast majority of Chinese employers do not apply your stringent selection procedures,else they'd be out of work.
As for your suggestion that FT's who don't have a passion for teaching here should pack their bags and go back home to do community work there,I think that it will fall upon deaf ears.Maybe some FT's will be angry with said suggestion.Remember the old adage,those who can teach,don't,while those who can't,do.And another one,work to live,or live to work.But your philosophy won't be applied here,where education is run as a business - it's as simple as that,like it or not.
*Well, Turino, I may be wrong, but I have a feeling that you believe anyone can be an English teacher in China. Actually, I agree with that. Anyone can be a teacher in China. Should they be? That's the real question.
Well,fellow FT,I don't know about 'anyone'.I'd prefer to say many people can be teachers in China,but a significant proportion are ineffective teachers,that not always being their fault.