Their blocking vpn and ssh even on non standard ports?
Don't know much about the Great Firewall, but I usually keep a SSH server listening on port 80 on a box, sometimes those hotels and company networks don't let anything other than port 80 outbound, and it has yet to fail me.
Theoretically GFW can do that, because SSH handshake has fingerprints that can be identified. But it will irritate every administrator on this world.
From a reliable source I heard they only ban SSH/VPN service if they can get a free account for testing. So if you are going to use SSH/VPN, make sure the provider do not serve free trials.
Don't know much about the Great Firewall, but I usually keep a SSH server listening on port 80 on a box, sometimes those hotels and company networks don't let anything other than port 80 outbound, and it has yet to fail me.