Can an American iPhone be given as a gift to a person in China?

I want to buy an iPhone for a friend in china. I went to WalMart and they told me that although I didn t need to sign a contract or have a carrier company, I needed to have a phone card or have a linked credit/debit card that can be have the amount owed from calls swiped away monthly. They were pretty cheap phones. An iPhone 6 cost $199.99 and an iPhone 5 cost $129.99. I just don t know if a Chinese phone card would be the same as an American phone card. I didn t want my friend to be not able to use his phone in china. Just as a clarification, he is a permanent resident of china and will only make calls within china. I am just his friend buying him a phone from the states.