I have booked many one way tickets from Australia. Last trip though (December) the check in lady said where is my on ward ticket I said I live in China and don't need one she was cool with that. What you can do instead of buying a ticket say to the visa staff you are going to catch a train to Mongolia when you get to China and give a detailed itinerary of your stay in China.
When I arrive in China they look at my passport photo then visa then stamp the entry and on my way never been pulled over or questioned.

As many would suggest you should find an employer before you come to China to save you this stress, issues, and risk of being caught and people trying to screw you over.

Thanks for the tip, I actually got granted my visa this morning, going to pick it up on Friday. Only concern now is the getting through check in at Melb airport. I agree I would have loved to get a Z working visa before coming to china, however so many jobs have stuffed me around and would like to meet me face to face. I'm moving to Kunming and it is very competitive for jobs over there, despite my experience and degree's etc.

I have m y gf's family over there, so once I'm there they have arranged for a company to provide me with a z visa. etc...

Would you advise me to tell check in that I live in china too? Did they check your visa? etc..

When I left Sydney airport the lady said do you have an onward ticket out of China I kind of laughed and said no, she explained that when you get to China they may not let you in as you don't have a onward ticket I said I live in China and don't require one. They do check your visa page to make sure it is valid for travel on my experiences could be different for others. 

I wouldn't suggest you say the check in staff that you live in China as some could be smart and know the different visas of China. But state you are traveling the South of China and will be exiting from HK/Macau/Vietnam (Bus or train) should get you through no dramas. Once you arrive the typical slow lines as only 2 Chinese custom officers do foreign passports and 10 for Chinese hand your passport should be over within 1min make sure you give him or her an excellent review on his panel to start your new life in China. As I said before I have never been pulled over or asked anything by the officers for a ticket or asked about my journey in China. 

I've never booked a one-way trip to China per se....but I do have my round trip tickets setup so that I am round tripping from China and back to China (so no onward or return tickets in hand upon arriving back to China).  They've never said anything to me....but then again I do have a residence permit.

This being your first trip to China (at least as far as I can tell) they may scrutinize your visa and travel arrangements a little more closely than say someone who has been to China before.  I know had to provide additional info besides what's required on their entry/exit form on my first trip: mainly just some contact info of my "inviter", etc.  Seems maybe  mildly risky...but really not too bad I think.  So best of luck

I always go to Hong Kong to get my VISA, the chinese embassy in Hong Kong does not care at all about anything, just go there and smile and BOOM you have a VISA for 6 months!

I arrived in Hong Kong (from the U.S.) bound for the mainland two years ago with a tourist visa and a one way ticket. I was under contract (kinda, sorta, but that is a story for a different time), and had absolutely no problem at all. I later got my work visa in HK.

No, I've never had problems booking a one way ticket to china. I would say the first visa company I went to held my passport for almost a month and a half. I call them up they tell me they don't have it. I tell them to find it. They say they don't have it. The lady says I am having an attitude and hangs up. I call back tell them to find it. Guess what? They say they have it this time but tell me there is a fee. Should have got the feds on their ass. 

Visa agents abroad ask for the standard documents but all in all, China is pretty lax on their visa policies unless their is some convention, games, or international politics going on in Major cities. That being said, I agree, you should come here first before you get a job, not only to do a face to face with the school but for you to speak to the other foreigners that work there, this will ensure you eventually find what's right for you.

Well, it is not a problem to book a ticket, but to board a plane. I did buy one way tickets before and it was fine, but then, one time leaving from a different airport near my hometown, I got asked at the check-in what I am going to do. I tried to explain her that I always did like that and that I'm gonna change my visa status blablabla, travel to HK with train and cannot buy the ticket now blablabla, BUT they did not let me on board. Finally I went on Internet and purchased a ticket from Shanghai to HK with Spring Airlines for 60 Dollar, which I canceled afterwards, so I was able to board the plane. I was soooo mad that time, but obviously I just  had the wrong person dealing with my check-in... It's about u r lucky or not...

I've been here 6 years. I'm  from the UK and would return  to visit my family 3 - 4 times each year, I've never been ask by either side to provide proof of a return journey ticket or any ticket. If fact usually a little more expensive to purchase a single ticket, I prefer this ways as sometimes  I would stay a few days longer than I usually expect. And often travel last minute and on impulse. But never had a problem with regards to single ticketing.

off-topic,,,,    but,,,,,    I gotta vent!   arseholes at PAL wouldn't let me board flight HK-MNL because I had O/W ticket and no onward booked. I explained I wanted try the ferry from Mindinao to Indo. Still wouldn't let me.  I had to buy an onward ticket at airport b4 I could board. 

NOTICE:   Bureaucrats of the world- You have made it very difficult for backpackers/vagabonds of our Planet. You suck !   Take your Visa and stick it where the sun don't shine ! 

When I first moved to China the airport in America told me I couldn't go on a way one ticket. I just told them I'm moving to China and they were fine with that. I did show them my invitation letter though from an educational company.

If you plan on staying in China for an extended period of time I would suggest finding a visa agency in china to get you a 3/6/12month visa instead of you trying to renew a 30day visa every 30 days. not only does it end up being a waste of money but China has started clamping down on that type of thing.

Of course if you only plan on being here for a couple months or so then that should be fine. Still a bit of a hassle though cause youll have to go to leave the country (or go to hong kong) to renew and since you should probalby do it in advance incase any problems pop up realistically youll be having to update your visa like every 3 weeks which is kinda hectic.