We had an elective CA-3 rotation in China, I didn't make it over there but according to everyone that went, every single case is TIVA.
They also do all of their central lines without ultrasound, A-lines with no wires. Lines placed pre-induction with no local and *somehow* the patients survive. I imagine that using anatomical landmarks is easier when most people are regular sized, not USA jumbo-sized. Apparently, one time a patient with a BMI of 32 showed up and everyone started losing their minds, discussing what special precautions should be undertaken to do the case safely.
Well
Obviously I don't know where in China your classmates were or the overall quality of the institution. But I'd be careful with accepting the way they make do with less as some kind of evidence that good care can/should be provided their way.
I spent some time practicing at a public hospital in SE Asia last year. Circumstances and culture lead to some major differences in the way they practice.
They did do a lot of TIVAs ... mainly because they didn't have a gas scavenging system or end-tidal monitors. They also did a very high percentage of their cases under spinal because 1.5 mL of local, a needle, and a couple of cotton balls in a bowl of betadine is a really cheap anesthetic. Major abdominal surgery ain't always pretty under spinal but it's possible.
They did most blocks without ultrasound, using landmark techniques. I'd guess at least 1/4 to 1/3 failed outright or were deficient in ways that would lead us to classify them as failures. The patients were incredibly stoic however, so a marginal or even a failed block rarely stopped surgery. A bit of ketamine often helped them limp through ... though more than once I saw a patient's howls during surgery dismissed as merely a ketamine reaction.
They were very, very skilled at placing lines. I'd look at a patient and think, man, where would I find a spot for a 20g in this person, and a minute later they'd have a 2" 16g taped into a forearm. They were very proficient with arterial lines too. Lots of awake nasal intubations for patients with c-spine injuries, and they were slick.
But overall very much a technician mentality there, good with mechanical skills and following a recipe, but NOT good at anticipating and avoiding complications, or handling unexpected events. Poor depth of knowledge. It's how I imagine a US hospital would run if SRNAs were pushed out the door halfway through training and just ran the show for the rest of their careers with no one tracking complications.
And it wasn't because people were dumb or lazy. The physicians (especially the ones under age 50 or so) were
brilliant. Incredibly hard workers who'd outcompeted legions of their peers, in a coldly objective meritocracy that the USA hasn't seen in decades, to snag a relative bare handful of positions available. I think their growth was stunted by the oppressive hierarchical culture, and overall lack of good instruction, educational supplies, access to native-language literature on par with English materials.
*somehow* the patients survive
Unless they don't. M&M was through the roof. I witnessed a couple of egregious intraoperative clean kills, a number of near misses, and perioperative mortality was pretty high.
Protocols were outdated and sometimes harmful (ubiquitous use of hetastarch fluids, poor sterility, poor antibiotic use).
They very carefully avoid noticing and tabulating M&M because nobody wants to look bad, and there's a horribly malignant blame culture. Very hierarchical - senior people don't get questioned or stopped even when multiple people there know that the wrong thing is being done. It's the classic Asian stereotype, given wings and steroids ... the elders are gods.
Anyway, the point of this long rambling post is simple - don't let the way they apparently get away with doing certain things sway you to the opinion that those things are OK. I can assure you they get away with a lot less than they let on to foreigners ...