They have an agenda of that there is no doubt.

http://www.henrymakow.com/my_chinese_wife_set_a_trap.html

Many western men make childish mistakes of marrying a woman from a developing country, when they are not even very rich themselves, and with nothing back home. As you say, like your 55 year old mate, the future for him is oblivion, unless he gets his arse out of China, pronto! Not meaning to sound harsh, but he has to get out of there, or it is career and social suicide, esp. getting nearer to his 60s.