I did it in 20 minutes. Just walked into a branch and told them I was moving to the US and buying a house and needed a bank account and could they please give me some information on their mortgage packages. They have sales targets to meet.
You don’t need much cash in the account - just above the minimum to hold it open. Think of it as an open escape hatch.
What I really want is a Chinese bank account but haven’t figured out how to get one without a residents permit.