Mainland China is an exception due to the cumulative negative effects of the Cultural Revolution which reinstituted competitive examinations for universities and college-prep high schools with a vengeance combined with a new generation of parents, especially those of the newly created upper/upper-middle class feeling disenchanted with this competitive examination regime within the last decade.
Also, keep in mind the vast majority of Chinese international students…especially those applying to American colleges for undergrad are from the upper/upper-middle class MINORITY and thus, aren’t indicative of the average Mainland Chinese student.
Especially considering many are turning to going to the US/Abroad not only because of parental wealth, but also because their academic/national college entrance exam performance wasn’t good enough for the most elite tier or two of Mainland Chinese colleges. This was the case even with some Ivy undergrads that I’ve encountered that a visiting Chinese Prof happened to know of due to prior acquaintance*.
- Later found out said Prof knew the parents of those undergrads because they occasionally meet as senior tenured Profs from different universities in the same geographic region in Mainland China.