From my experience car rental agencies are typically not that concerned whether you really have the right to drive. Half of them fail to turn the licence over to check the vehicles I am permitted to drive or dates of validity for vehicle types, and I have never been asked for a sharing code so they can look up if I have points on my UK licence.

The desk agent typically justs want to rent their car, and make money, provided they know who is liable for any damage or a missing vehicle.
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Much as love driving and have driven in some fairly crazy places China is not one I have been tempted to try. Not because of the local driving customs, but more because I feel a foreigner would be an easy target for traffic police, and if you really don't have the right to drive I figure that's a whole lotta trouble to get out of in China