Originally Posted by
givionte
Anyone can buy a ticket, as long as you have a passport. It's when you check-in for boarding when they check to see whether you have a valid passport and/or visa for entry. The few flights out of China anyone can take as long as they can legally enter their destination, which at check-in they will inspect.
Leaving here isn't an issue (e.g. we can get ourselves to major cities all over the world), but most of us want to be able to come back as well.