I don’t know about China, but is there any evidence that measuring and firing teachers plays a big role in countries with better educational outcomes?

I would be extremely surprised if China, or Scandinavian countries would have weaker labor protections for teachers than they have for their general populace. P

What they do have is excellent training, paying teachers well, high teacher to student ratios, modern educational systems based on the latest research and/or a culture and familial backgrounds that emphasize and prioritize education.