20 Comments

This is a joke, right?

China has been systematically creating an increasingly hostile environment for foreigners as a deliberate policy objective for the last 15 years.

From the CCP perspective, a sharp decline in Western elites in China isn't a bug, it's a feature.

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Well , written, and with layers of issues addressed, as someone / family hoping to relocate there when possible, very hopeful, yet with existing issues and ongoing ones, which nonetheless any country faces, not just China. I also think that a way to welcome more foreigners should include various brackets of foreigners, not everyone has a PhD, not everyone is a star, yet all can contribute to China's growth in relation to other countries..... and connections, as the West used to about 40 years ago with its immigrant population.

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After China overcomed Covid-19, we believe more and more foreigners will come back, let's see...

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I lived in China for three years in the last years of Hu Jintao in power, six months in Macau, returned to Europe for three years and then did another three and a half years in China in early Xi Jinping years, returning to Europe in mid-2015. Haven't been to China since.

I definitely felt freer in virtually every aspect in Hu Jintao times, even though my financial status was better in the second bout in China.

Perhaps because the first time it was Nanning, Guangxi, a nominally autonomous province, whereas the second time it was Guangdong (horrendous criminal Huizhou and stately, impressive Guangzhou), which is under a stronger grip of control by powers that be, anyways.

Or perhaps because the policies shifted with the change in polity.

Ah well...

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“the actual implementation of China's policies and the social-cultural environment still have room for improvement to effectively accommodate foreigners… An important criterion for testing local governance is if it does NOT prioritize security and in the process stifle development or international exchanges.” Sounds like, while he’s not willing to go so far as criticizing Xi’s policies, he’s suggesting that they shouldn’t be implemented over-enthusiastically.

“Regrettably, derogatory comments about foreigners can be found in Chinese public discourse” Somewhat ironic coming from a former editor of the Global Times, which pushes such discourse. But I’m glad he’s seen the light.

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In the UK the government wishes for problems like these!

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A note on statistics. While the foreign national population increased from 2010 to 2020 (593,832 in 2010 to 845,697 in 2020), a component to take into account is the Burmese refugee population.

The number of Burmese in China increased from 39,776 in 2010 to 351,248 in 2020 because Burmese refugees sought protection in China due to conflicts in their country. If you take out the increase in Burmese in 2020 compared to 2010, then the foreign national population in 2020 is actually lower than in 2010.

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this guy needs to go straight to gulag! long live chairman shit!

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As a white skin pig living in south west China. It is boring since my playmates left, and a steady stream of them continue to leave. What can we do here? It’s so easy to step on toes, & even if you haven’t, easy to imagine that you might...

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I hope his voice is heard by the “relevant authorities” in China. I read this after having another visa request to enter China blocked. Right now, Andy Boreham -- Andy Boreham! -- is the only New Zealand journalist (if that’s the right word for him) working in China, while the entirety of the Australian and Canadian media remain blocked. And of course the NY Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post remain whittled down to skeleton staff. Things are similarly dismal among academics from all those countries. China is stifling right now. I hope that changes -- for all of our sakes.

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Foreigners in Thailand have fallen even more than China since 2019, that's for sure. And they're still leaving..

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