>If anybody would have contacted your old school or employer it would have been your new employer. In fact the new system would inform them who that it even if you dont know yourself.

It was the new employer but what they did was tell the old employer that the authorities have all my documents and are just waiting for the release letter. As you mentioned, they (as in the online PSB and everyone else) they knew who the old employer was. It showed up instantly on their monitor. In fact, that is how the new employer knew exactly who to call.

At that point, the old employer is now hearing that my new employer has a very good relationship with the authorities and doesn't want to hold them up any longer. At which point the old employer (or at least their girl in charge of papers and stamps) gets really scared and starts panic processing the document and rushing it to the post office ASAP.

Which is how it works in China. They did not care about me phoning them finding out whats going on but they were entirely worried about the new employer and that the PSB people were waiting for that last thing.

I really dont know if there is some actual law stating they must supply the Release Letter but it seems to me once their year expires then they must give that up when requested.

btw i think that 'new system' has been around for around 4 years now. connecting all provinces.