Mine is fine as well. If you're not able to set it up, it may be that you haven't set up your account for online banking, or that the name does not quite match what you put in. This is a common problem with non-Chinese names. In Chinese bank systems, they are case-sensitive, and they may or may not have put the spaces in the right place. Double check your online account, or head down to the bank branch for assistance.

US citizen services responded yesterday.

They can forward any state absentee ballot or federal write-in absentee ballot to the US via diplomatic pouch.

The ballots must be in a postage-paid envelope for mailing within the US.

They warn it can take 3-4 weeks for full delivery, so check your state election board website for the absentee ballot deadline (also, many states allow you to vote via email or fax these days).

To use the consulate service, mail your ballots to:

Attn: ACS/Vote
美国驻成都总领事馆
四川成都市领事馆路4号
中国 610041
(28)8558-3992

The US Citizen Services office at Chengdu has a WeChat group for US citizens in Yunnan. We asked them there. They usually don't respond during office hours for security reasons (no Chinese phones in the office), but they've been pretty responsive since they set up the group.

The rule for taking money out of China is US$5,000 or equivalent. I have taken more with no problems, but that's just luck.

You can bring more than $10,000 into the states, but you need to file a FinCen form beforehand and declare it at the border. There is no import duty on properly-declared money.Note that the total is "per family," not per individual. If you travel with your SO or other family member, and each carries slightly under $10,000 to avoid declaring, you risk having all the money seized at the US border.

Chinese citizens can legally purchase and wire up to US$50,000 out of the country per year, but may be prosecuted if found doing so on behalf of others to get around currency limits.

You can also withdraw money using your Chinese bank card abroad, though not all ATMs accept them. Make sure you don't have one of those crappy ICBC cards with no magnetic strip, or you may be out of luck. I believe there has recently been a cap of RMB 100,000 per year placed on foreign withdrawals from Chinese cards.

The current information handed out by the Chengdu Consulate only covers dropping off the ballot cards at the consulate building.

I have asked American citizen services about the possibility of mailing them to Chengdu from here. They haven't given an answer yet, but said they would clarify, hopefully later today. I will come back with their answer.

Keep your ballot deadline in mind. The Consular pouch service takes three weeks to arrive in the states from Chengdu, and then up to another week from the US location to the various states.