While the UK may be a hardship location for you, and it is your full right not to return there, it is easy in China as you are fully retired. For a younger FT with no pension/savings in China, I think that is the age bracket SB is referring to, or an older bloke with no savings/family/friends/back home.

Either kind of relatively impoverished FT you have mentioned can still save substantially from his/her salary while teaching in the public education sector on a moderate salary in a secure job that is a sinecure if he/she is not a spendthrift. The maths is the key, and I'm fully aware of the current cost of living here, as I am still here! Said savings can be invested with a private pension provider. No problem there for a young FT.

Thing is frequenting KTV bars and staying in hotels/travelling, especially internationally, will hit his/her potential savings hard. Can't have it both ways. His/her choice, but not what Silverboy requires. Each to their own!