How does $10k mean they think you are rich? That's chump change. They are being generous.
But surely you can't be serous? This 10k payment idea doesn't apply just to higher incom folks like you, this applies to a decent portion of the population there most of which is making less than 30k a year. 10k for someone who makes 100k in the USA is very diffirent than to someone making 30k in China.
Surely you are well aware that you are easily in the top percentile of the world regarding income, right?
That seems more in line with my experience (and the $10,000 price is also something I've heard often). I could easily see my grandparents in law (who live in rural China) be able to live of $10k for three years, given that nothing exceptional happens.