I'd also hazard a guess that those 2 teachers may have not been putting in their all at the uni (or, shoving the better money in the faces of the uni admin). Otherwise, I would have expected the uni to just have a quiet chat with them...

Most expat teachers I have met (especially ones with addictions) do not put in "their all". I know expats who are married to the "right" person in the educational company or at the local school they're working at and they get away with almost everything and anything. The whole academic culture is one of laziness and apathy or as they say in Chinese, "De guo qie guo"(if it can be passed, let it pass). As for shoving money in the faces of university admins I am sure university admins make a lot more money getting red purses/pockets and receiving bribes from rich parents than these FT's will ever make. I just think it was either a petty backstabbing or a power play to make an example of the two unfortunate ft's for other expats. For all we know a friend/acquaintance of one of these teachers rubbed someone locally the wrong way. The Chinese way of politicking can be quite roundabout.