I did it this way. My bank offers free senior checking accounts. I opened up a new account in my name. They would not open a joint account with her name as she does not have a social security number. I got two debit cards. Sent her one. Called my bank and told them I would be traveling extensively in China and to authorize any withdrawls from that account only at this time. When she needs money I can go online transfer money from one account into the other. Tell her it is there, she goes to an ATM and gets the money. Costs 1.00 per transaction, she gets a decent exchange rate and there is no minimum balance I have to keep in there. I can control how much and when as far as the amount goes. It is always about trust and I do trust her. But at any time I can shut it down day or night. The very worst thing that might happen is she can pull the money out but the most she can get at on time is $400.00 I guess iF she went in at 11:55 pm and pulled $400 then again at 12:05 am she could pull another $400.
She can always get the money within 24 hours. Sometimes in an hour it is there. The only down side is that she cannot go to a store and just use it. But with the number of ATM's in Beijing, there really is no problem with that. This just makes it much more simpler for both of us. Especially when she goes to rent our apt. before I get there.
Just a thought.