I think it was co-written with Iggy Pop.
Again, this is very likely a reference to drug addiction. China is a nickname for heroin - during the 1800s China was the main source for opium. If you re-read the lyrics with this in mind, the excitement, triumphalism and despair of addiction suddenly leap off the page at you.
It's not about having a Chinese girfriend.
I think it was co-written with Iggy Pop. Again, this is very likely a reference to drug addiction. China is a nickname for heroin - during the 1800s China was the main source for opium. If you re-read the lyrics with this in mind, the excitement, triumphalism and despair of addiction suddenly leap off the page at you. It's not about having a Chinese girfriend.