Yes, you are right that it is up to one to be prudent when applying for a job in China, given the visa troubles.

What baffles me is why people continue to do so, and tolerate it? They have made getting a visa for the P.R.C. as hard as getting a work visa for the K.S.A........but the glaring problem is the Chinese aren't paying gulf/saudi salaries and all the additional perks in the TEFL field. If you are going to be put through great expenses and time wasted in your own country to get the bloody visa, surely it's better to do so for a place that pays you well and provides things like airfares, settlement allowance, and so on. If China wants to attract good teachers it needs to match what the Arabs offer, or ease up the visa regs...it just is not worth it otherwise, but that is just me, unless you have a real compelling reason like chinese wife, like chinese food, learning chinese, etc etc. Not the royal "you" of course, but FT's in general.

Cheers,
SMGS