I love China but pollution, the great firewall, and visa complications make it less attractive as somewhere to live.
The firewall won't bother you (assuming you wish to get around it); it's there for the masses.
Any idiot with a US citizenship can get a tourist visa, lasting a year and having only the requirement "visit Hong Kong (or any other non-China location) every three months" (I was unambitious, and got a two-month one). Someone of my acquaintance says he paid a visa-help company $1000 and got a business visa, good for a year and imposing no requirements.
I have, in the past, had a working visa; if that's what you want, it's generally done by your employer, not you.
Your "I love China" kind of leads me to believe you'd be familiar with this already... what kind of complications have you experienced?
[of course, China habitually hassles journalists (Bloomberg) over visas]
Make your check paid to: Chinese Service Center .
Lucy Chinese Service Center of Greater Albany, LLC. 2394 Parkville Place Schenectady, NY 12309 Tel:(518)346-0555 Email:CSCAlbany@yahoo.com
EDIT: formatting
I have no knowledge of M visas; I just use Ls.
As a Hong Kong resident I had a 6 month visa and then a 1 year China visa. Notably, though, both times it was a 30 day maximum stay, and as a UK citizen they still always just give me 30 days per entry.
I know all about the sneaky 1 year business visa I could get. (there's some guy who sits in a hotel in TST and sorts it out for you)
But I still frequently hear stories of people who've been living there for a year or so, but when it comes to renewing they turn up in HK, apply for a new visa, and end up being granted just 15 days.
Usually they fix this, and pay someone a few thousand dollars, and they get another one year visa. But this is a hassle.
The internet thing is easily overcome with a vpn, but it's just annoying, especially as latency to western services is already pretty high.
So my choice, is "go live in Taiwan", China without some of the hassle.
Notably when I say "I love China", I frequently mean "I love Greater China".
"Taiwan - THE Greater China"
The visa changes made in July are much more strict than before, getting a one year non work visa is only possible if you have Chinese family. The visa companies from before no longer exist. But I have a working visa so I don't care.