Does anybody have, or know anybody who has experience with money transfers from China to any Western Country (notably the US and UK)?

i've not got any direct experience, but i seem to remember my friend using Western Union to send money to UK from Shanghai - and i've seen Western Union logos displayed at the Post Office on the corner of Jianshe Lu and Yieryi Dajie. as ever, expect some mafan.

WU is very expensive.
A cheaper way you can do it, is by going over pay-pal. www.paypal.com
I believe it is free for private transfers.