if i get married to my girlfriend in china, will be getting citizenship be a lot easier?

Michael, it's still difficult for you to acquire a Chinese citizenship. After you getting married with your Chinese girlfriend, you can apply for the Q type which allows you to stay longer. After you stay in China for five years (more than 9 months per year), you can apply for the permanent residency for family reunion. However, the possiblity of getting it is still low. It says that just around 200 people per year can successfully acquire the permanent residency. When you acquire the permanent residency, you may apply for Chinese citizenship.