"If standards at public universities in China drop to the level of the franchise/chain schools, I feel I could not work and live in China anymore."

All evidence I have seen points to students at franchise/chain schools having a much better level of understanding and fluency than public university students. Indeed I have 10 year olds at my school with whom I can hold a better conversation than I could with most English majors graduated from those fantastic (50 students per class, no curriculum, non-English speaking English teachers, reading and giant vocab. lists as substitutes for understanding and communicating) universities.

Looks like it's time to go home, buddy.

bye