@Geezer Just for interest, are these requirements, and associated costs, published and known by prospective students before they sign up?

For Finance majors the five papers were required. The students had to pay the publisher to get the paper published. Other majors had different requirements. As nearly all students got their undergrad degrees at the same school. I am pretty sure all this was known and accepted as part of the game.

For my major three papers are required, the cheapest journal that we can publish in is 500 yuan per article, but I've heard that more popular ones cost up to 5000 yuan. Probably all Chinese know about it, but I was not informed till the middle of the first semester nor was it mentioned on the requirements for foreign students list.

Its an established racket, and is a requirement. I am sure some students in some institutions will be coerced into publishing in more expensive journals, and I am sure some academics are earning a fee. But what you shouldn't get asked for is the hongbao.