I think the contempt shown by "leaders" is not solely towards foreign teachers but also towards local staff as well.

True. Their treatment of each other is shocking! I'd say in the last few years there has been a change and now foreign teachers are starting to be treated the same or worse than Chinese teachers. For example, foreigners used to teach 12-14 hours a week back in the heyday of working for unis. Now the absolute minimum at most unis is 16, but I often see hours toppling 20. Beyond that they are now writing in all sorts of extra-curricular, unpaid activities into the contract: English Corners; judging events; putting on events (I've seen contracts stipulating, vaguely, "Halloween," "Christmas"); library time; movie night; drama club; and "thesis adviser"). At the same time I've met Chinese teachers teaching as little as 10 hours a week. Thus, it is now possible to be paid less than one's Chines colleagues, while also working more paid hours, AND having a slew of unpaid extra work. The only benefit one gets at this point that the Chinese don't is a pointy hat that says, "CHUMP" on it.

I'm sure there are still good jobs out there, but, last time I looked I finally gave up. The standard contracts of 4 years ago are very difficult to find anymore. Summer vacations have been cut out, more hours have been added, and all the extra bullshit. This may have something to do with the economic crisis and China vying for GDP #1 in a 2nd Great Leap Forward, this one with cement.