Country hotelier in China (8)
I believe the answer is:
pastoral
'country' is the definition.
(both can mean rural)
'hotelier in china' is the wordplay.
'hotelier' becomes 'Astor' (19th-century hotelier William Waldorf Astor).
'in' indicates putting letters inside.
'china' becomes 'pal' (china plate is Cockney rhyming slang for mate).
'astor' placed into 'pal' is 'PASTORAL'.
(Other definitions for pastoral that I've seen before include "Relating to personal care - in the countryside, perhaps" , "Of shepherds or spiritual guides" , "bishop's staff" , "Regarding teacher's responsibility for pupil" , "Of sheperds, or concerned with spiritual guidance" .)