@Jaz Although I was only as a tourist in China, I can tell you that at least one mistake western countries make is wrong: The towns are reasonably clean. Bejing, Shanghai, Guilin, ... they all have their own 'civilised' parts. By civilised I mean, normal buildings, roads, proper plumbing, ...
It's also not true that everything is possible in China, you still see some dictatorship. I have to say that it isn't directly noticable, but you can still see that the communist party is ruling the country.
My best friend is now working(Thomson) in China. Every 2 months he can come home for a week. He's stationed in Bejing