About the price, OZ & NZ visa fees are all charged on per case basis; while China visa is per person (even infant has to pay full visa and service fee). We just had a family trip to China, end up paid about $360 visa fee for 3 weeks stay.
I just couldn't agree with that Service Center thing whatsoever. Happy to pay whatever rate charged by China Embassy, no questions to ask, coz that was dealing with government authority. I respect Chinese government, but I feel here authority has been abused by forcing people to use the Service Center to apply visa.
People should have the choice of using or NOT using that Service Center.