My dog is terrified of his crate!

Question
I recently acquired a black lab mix stray puppy, around 6 months old.  When we first got him, we purchased an XL wire crate that was plently large enough for the 50 lb pup.  The first couple of times we left him there he barked and yelped but generally did fine.  So we decided that we could live him alone for a longer stretch of time--4 hours.  When we came home, he had broken some of the wire bars and had severely scratched his nose trying to get out.  After that it was downhill.  We also tried a plastic kennel which he managed to flip over and chew his way out of.   We have tried putting his bed in the kennel and making him sleep there, putting his food/treats in there, etc.  The ironic part is that he does fine at home when he is alone, just not when we put him in the crate.  While he NEVER liked going into the kennel in the first place (I suspect a bad experience from when he was younger), I am concerned about his anxiety over the kennel primarily because we are thinking of moving to China and of course we want to bring him with us.  However, I'm afraid  his anxiety will prevent him from traveling safely.

Answer
This is a tough question.  Were it not for the possible travel, I might suggest forget the crate.  They are a great tool for most dogs, but not 100%.  Try another plastic one.  Make sure he has room to stand upright.  Assemble it without the door and make it available to him.  Put his toys and treats in it, try to get him to eat in it.  Once he learns he won't be shut up in it for long periods of time, he may come to accept it.