But in my opinion Foxy, no one can win this.

I agree, Extc. But we can prevent ourselves being taken to the cleaners by giving our employers a hard time when they attempt to cheat us on what was previously mutually agreed by contract. Things like late pay have already been discussed here. That's sth that raises emotions, but I'm prepared to overlook this, so long as it's not ridiculously late, eg more than 7 days. But I know there are other readers who disagree with my line in the sand on this one. Fair enough, it's their right to do so. However, things that involve loss of pay, or doing extra work for no pay wouldn't be overlooked by me - I'd argue the toss if they were not in the contract or involved a breach of contract, finally threatening strike action if justice was not done. As for accepting that there was a mistranslation of their Chinese contract into English, I'd dismiss that at once as a lame excuse!

It is naive to think that these people can understand.

Most of them won't understand, because Chinese bosses only understand they are masters of their own particular universes, and so have the right to dominate all of their employees, who are basiucally treated like lackeys! But it's good to teach them that some of their foreign lackeys are not subservient, like the homegrown staff and the other FT's they employ. I'm hopeful some of them might be taught a lesson.

For them it is a 'race to the bottom' or whatever you want to call it. You either fit in here as an FT or you don't, and there is no shame in it whether you fit in or not.

As you're there to make them money, they'll leave you be, so long as your teaching is okay. If you've been in a justifiable confrontation with your boss, chances are he'll ostracise you afterwards, and so will the other teachers, on his explicit instructions. Great, I have lost nothing, they're all foxes or sheep. If they call me a guizi, I care not. I can go on spending time with my Chinese friends, who have nothing to do with the teaching profession - they won't try to pull a fast one on me, because they're not paying my salary!

The question is, knowing the bad treatment you can get here, the best way, imo is to stay here and be a big troublemaker who doesn't respect their preten and crappy culture, precisely what I've been doing!
Give 'em it back worse, both in terms of breaking their futile visa regulations, and by face-to-face confrontations! I've done both here for a very long time, that makes me very happy, in fact. Not to run away and berate the situ from afar, like Turnoi! Stay here, take 'em on at their own game, and sicken 'em to death. Goes for gw louwai too, btw! I can do that equally well, no sweat!

I agree with Ivory Tower in regards of his assessments, both of Chinese bosses, and of Turnoi. No offense Turnoi, but yeah, you do come across as someone who's a bit too high and mighty, and full of themselves.