It wouldn't surprise me. And what if the Chinese government suddenly decides this was not okay and the money really belongs to them? I mean, it's not very likely, but it's not completely impossible either. If you're already a multimillionaire, why take the risk? I might understand players who are of South American or African descent as they sometimes have large families to provide, but this generally isn't the case for European players. Witsel wasn't rich when growing up, but he wasn't poor either. I just don't get why he'd ruin the best years of his life, both privately and professionaly, in a country he won't like.
He could be living in Italy, playing for one of the biggest clubs in the world, winning meaningful prizes and being paid millions anyway.