I saw the FAO today. The would seem to be some benefit in giving a week's notice that you'll be whining and complaining. I'm assured that next time we can use stamped contracts and valid tax certificates to be all legal-like and safe. I do hope this is true. I've had this conversation with her before. I'll find out in six months.
Using proxies to transfer money for you is asking for trouble. There's the same immediate risk associated with asking any other person anywhere to handle your money informally. There is also, and I suspect increasingly so in the future, the legal risk associated with skirting, in particular, laws governing the transfer of money out of China. Under the Xi Jinping anti-corruption regime I don't know how many banks are really going to be happy engaging in casual corruption any more.
Granted, that's just a guess, and TIFC, but there you go, you saw it here first.