2. Although you can pass 9 courses without taking an exam, you still have to pay a certain fee, which is about 60-70% of the exam fee, so it is not very cost-effective. And if you want to pass the last five courses, you might as well pass the previous exam, so many students who are exempt from the exam still choose the exam.
The degree of recognition depends on where you work. If you work in China, the brand of Xiamen University is much better than that of foreign schools. If you work abroad, of course, the local diploma is easy to use.