How to take an Imac home from foreign country--can the stand be folded flat?

We live in China. We really want to buy a 20” Imac here, but wonder how to take it home if we ever have to leave China. Is there a way to make it fit as a carry-on? We wondered if the stand folds flat or can be cut and later bolted back (hubby is quite adepts at these things). Is there a safe way to take it in checked baggage, or to ship it separately? We’ve looked at MacBk Pro, but price so high, and we like having a 20” screen.