Taobao is cleaned out, like completely. I cant even buy the fake ones anymore, which I begrudgingly delt with. Guess its time to switch to nicotine gum and cigarettes.

R there any gay friends in Chengdu? I’m currently studying here and can act as ur free tour guide—no strings attached. It would be great if u speak English, as I’d like to practice mine. Btw I’m Chinese

Hey everyone!

I’m an Australian guy in my mid-20s, and my fiancée is Chinese. We’ve been together for 3 years after meeting at university, engaged for about 2.5 years, and we’re finally getting married in early 2027!

Throughout our relationship, I’ve travelled to China quite a few times. I’m actually in China right now on my fifth visit, and every time I come here, I find myself liking it more and more.

There’s just something about life here that I really enjoy. I feel incredibly safe, the food is amazing, there’s so much to see and do, the cities feel lively, and everything seems so convenient. Whether it’s public transport, ordering food, shopping, or just going out at night, I genuinely love the lifestyle.

I’m from Melbourne, Australia, and while Australia is obviously a great place to live, I sometimes find myself wondering whether I’d actually be happier living in China.

But here’s my question: Am I just experiencing the honeymoon phase of visiting China, or is everyday life genuinely as enjoyable as it seems?

I understand that visiting a country on holiday is completely different from actually living and working there. When I’m in China, I don’t have to worry about employment, paying bills, dealing with bureaucracy, or all the other responsibilities that come with normal life.
Since we’re both still in our mid-20s and getting married soon, we’re at a point where we can seriously think about what country we’d like to build our future in.
I’d really love to hear from Westerners who have moved to China, especially Australians, or people in international relationships who have experienced living in both countries.

A few things I’m particularly curious about:

Quality of life: For those who have lived in both China and a Western country, which do you genuinely prefer and why? Has your opinion changed over time?

Work and salaries: How difficult is it for a Westerner to find a decent job in China outside of teaching English? Is it realistic to build a long-term career there, particularly without being fluent in Mandarin?

Work-life balance: I’ve heard that Chinese work culture can be quite demanding. Is the 996 culture really that common? How does it compare with working in Australia?

Cost of living: I know everyday expenses can be significantly cheaper in China, but how does that compare when you factor in local salaries, housing costs, healthcare and savings? Do you actually end up financially better off?

Housing and homeownership: What’s it like buying property in China as a married couple? Is homeownership realistically affordable in major cities compared with Australia?

Social life and fitting in: Do you ever feel like you’ll always be considered a foreigner, regardless of how long you’ve lived there or how well you speak Mandarin? Is it difficult to make genuine long-term friendships?

Healthcare and future family: How does the healthcare system compare with Western countries? For those raising children in China, what are the advantages and disadvantages of schooling and family life?

Freedom and convenience: Are there things you took for granted in your home country that you only started missing after moving to China? What everyday frustrations don’t tourists usually notice?

Long-term happiness: For people who have lived in China for 5–10+ years, does the excitement eventually wear off? Do you still enjoy living there as much as when you first arrived?

Future opportunities: With how quickly China has developed, do you think quality of life will continue improving over the next 10–20 years? Would you personally choose to build your future there?

I’m not trying to claim that China is better than Australia or vice versa. I know both countries have their strengths and weaknesses, and everyone’s experience is different.
I just find it interesting that despite having a pretty comfortable life in Australia, every time I come to China I start questioning whether I’d enjoy living here more.

For those who made the move, was the reality better or worse than you expected? And if you had the choice again, would you still move to China?

Would love to hear some genuine experiences, both positive and negative. Thanks!

Is 9800 yen per month sufficient to live decently in beijing?

Im planning on moving here in the upcoming months before the end of the year and this is the salary I got for a job offer, would it suffice if ill also be living alone? Any advice would be appreciated

I paid my supplier all the amount shown in the picture. Including the 720 dollars for shipping customs, now tha logistics company sent me a message asking for 2000 dollars, the supplier told me the shipping and customs are paid for by the 72p dollars, nlw when i contact my supplier for clarification he doesn't even answer me ? What should i do ? I'm scared because i've put all the money i have on this deal. Please help !

I'm F19 he's M21 so this question mostly applies to men similar to his age. I met this guy on a language app and got to know him about three months ago. He's a very nice person, very kind and considerate. we have been talking everyday since the day we started talking. Now we even have developed a habit of sending each other good mornings and good nights everyday. After talking for a month or so, we shared pictures with each other and I think he looks pretty good and i find him attractive. When i asked him if he had dated before he said he hasn't ever dated or held hands with a girl. I told him thats quite surprising given his looks, he absolutely denied saying girls there tend to prefer taller men with better looks and all. He also mentioned he's an introvert and the only friends he has are his roommates. He's a CS major so kinda fits into the stereotype. He's also barely on social media and doesn't keep up with trends much.

I shared my picture too and he really complimented me saying i look beautiful and that he finds my facial features attractive. Furthermore, when we're talking he talks in a very cutesy manner and uses cute cute stickers which as far as i know is quite rare for men specially when they're talking to someone they're not dating?? But im not complaining i like it!

He even sends me pictures of any good food he's eating or anything interesting he comes across in his daily life even cute cats and dogs which i find quite wholesome and it genuinely makes my day that he saw those things and thought of taking a picture and sending it to me. Since we have been talking for so long, he just seems like a really nice person and i wouldn't mind dating him tbh. Now here comes the part I am quite unsure about, I'm from south asia (not india), 5'4, slim build and I'm considered to be fairly attractive here in my country and i've even been approached by boys in school saying they like me multiple times. But the thing is that the beauty standards for east asia is quite different so, that just makes me question if he actually finds me attractive or he was just being nice while complimenting me.

Most of our conversations are also carried on by me, I'm the one usually asking him if he has eaten his meals and im naturally a very curious person so i tend to ask a lot of questions about certain things and he has the patience of a saint so he explains them to me. He's usually quite busy with his studies and daily life and replies late to my messages sometimes due to that which is understandable, he also rarely initiates a conversation but if he does, mostly does it during weekends or when he's free on holiday. He has talked about things like the marriage situation there, the declining birth rate and the job market saying how bad the situation is getting.

So now, is it common for a guy to stick around for this long if they don't like a person. Or am i overthinking this whole thing too much and he sees me as nothing more than just a friend.

I’m thinking about getting admission in China for my further study, so I wanted to know if international students can freely travel to other cities while semester is going on, like if I have a day off from classes and I wanted to visit any other city, is there any restrictions? From University side or in general? I have heard that Universities don’t allow students to stay out late?

Culture, cost of living and work life differences?

Hi everyone,

I know that the BASIS schools in China can be quite a heated topic lol, but I wanted some further insight, particularly in comparison to teaching in an American public school (which I currently do).

I see many people discuss long work hours and unfavorable expectations from BASIS administration. I do not want to ignore these comments, but I would say that I am already used to these conditions in the USA lol. However, the difference is that here I literally cannot afford to pay my rent and bills, my classroom's A/C has been out/faulty for 2 years, there are mice/roaches/mold in the building, and many of the students can be quite stress-inducing regarding their behaviors and low academic performance.

Considering all of the above, would BASIS really be that bad? I have no problem showing up to work to do what I am told and working outside of contract hours during the school year.

Thanks in advance for your time and responses.

Anyone wants to get rid of their used ride-on suitcase. Pls message me

I’m a 24 year old guy from China, currently living in Taiyuan and pursuing my Master’s degree in Law. While I love my studies, I’m really hoping to step outside my academic bubble, broaden my horizons, and connect with people from different cultural backgrounds.

​Taiyuan is a city with incredible history and amazing local food, though I know the international community here isn't as huge as in Beijing or Shanghai. Whether you’re an expat working here, an international student, a traveler passing through Shanxi, or even someone just looking for a solid online friend, I’d love to connect!

​I’m always up for grabbing a coffee, trying out local restaurants (if you haven't had authentic Shanxi sliced noodles yet, I know the best spots), exploring historical sites, or just having a good conversation about life, culture, history, or current events. Plus, if you ever need a hand navigating life in Taiyuan, whether it is translating something tricky or figuring out local apps, I’m more than happy to help out.

If you're interested in hanging out or just chatting, feel free to send me a DM! We can easily connect on WeChat, WhatsApp, or whatever platform you prefer.

​Looking forward to meeting you!

Has anyone successfully moved to China and transitioned their career as a Westerner?

I'm learning Chinese, am established in my field (health data strategy), and want to relocate to China, open to any major city for a smoother language transition.

I'd love advice on how Westerners have approached job searching, networking, and the relocation process. I've considered going back to school since a degree would qualify me for a Z visa, but career-wise I feel I'm in a strong position. Another degree wouldn't help me and would only delay solving the real challenge of landing a job in China. I'm also not interested in teaching English, as I worry it would make it harder to transition back into my field.

Additional questions I'm wrestling with:
• How did you handle the chicken-and-egg problem of needing a visa to work but needing a job offer to get one? Did you job search from abroad or move first?
• Which industries or roles in China are most open to hiring foreign professionals in specialized fields like health data, tech, etc?
• What did networking actually look like for you? LinkedIn, industry conferences, expat groups, or local professional associations?
• Did you negotiate relocation support (housing, flights, visa fees), and what's reasonable to expect?
• How did you handle credential recognition? Did your Western qualifications translate smoothly, or did employers require additional certification?
• What surprised you most about the hiring process (timelines, interview style, contract terms)?
• For those who made it work long-term, what would you do differently if you started over?

The school I work has been an absolute shit show from day one with the Chinese teachers ganging up on me and trying to get me into as much trouble as possible. Even one of the managers has admitted this.

I was off work for a short time and a young white woman was substituting my class. I'm not a woman and I'm not white. In fact I was turned away from loads of jobs due to my face and it took many months to land this job. One of my other non white colleagues has also experienced problems with the same Chinese staff member making up bogus BS complaints about my colleague.

Upon my return I was taken into a meeting and given this BS personal improvement plan with a one month deadline.

Apparently loads of parents saw the substitute teacher and were asking if their kid could change to her class. I assume the parents just don't like the look of me.

I've recently seen the school advertising for a new teacher.

There are no vacancies and none of my colleagues are resigning.

I'm not as stupid as the school thinks I am. I just wonder when the specific date of my last day will be. I assume they will wait until the one month PIP has ended and then break the news to me.

I've had a string of one year jobs for various reasons and schools have been questioning this.

I want to ask your advice on how I should frame this firing on my CV. I'm going to ask if this school can say I was doing temporary maternity cover.

Any advice or help will be greatly appreciated.

I'm currently studying Chinese as a 3rd language and looking for guidance regarding my Chinese name. My current contestants are 林毅 (Lin Yi) and 石老天 (Shi Laotian). The second option is closer to the meaning of my name, hopefully. Shi referring to stone and Laotian I'm not too sure about. My western first name means God is gracious so I'm not 100% sure. Thank you and I appreciate your guidance. 🙏

Edit: I should clarify that I'm learning off of a language learning app. I feel now that 'studying' is not respectful/proper term for the learning I'm doing compared to those that are putting in hard work and more effort. Sorry for the confusion/miscommunication on my part.

My wife in Chinese, and we’re considering moving to China.

I’ve worked in China before, and expect I’ll end up teaching again. But I’d rather a) set my own schedule and b) teach different nationalities.

I’d like to come to China on a spouse visa and then teach online for US/UK/Gulf State/Aus clients and companies.

The little digging I’ve done so far suggests this is somewhere between a grey area and just not allowed.

However, has anyone else looked into this kind of arrangement?

My newborn was born here and I want to register her in our home country. I need to get it notarized and authenticated with an Apostille stamp here as it is required back home. Has anybody done this before?

Studying abroad at Fudan for a semester. My mandarin is still non existent (only know basic words) but I have a year to prepare unless I decide to go my junior year I would have 2. Any tips or things I should know about culture, social life, places I should aim to visit, etc?

I want to understand the differences of the platforms and their use case for customers. Which platform do consumers use for groceries? Which platform do consumers use for electronics? Which platform do consumers use for knick knacks?

https://youtu.be/C_SPMqq8uwk?si=Y5VZ2Oayjx6LZ2gr

Hey fellow expats. Ive been studying in China for 4 year already, recently wanted to create a PayPal account in China + I cannot do it directly with my passport, since my country is not supported by PayPal.

However, when i created my account and verified my email, the next step was providing personal information. And there is no way to upload a residence permit, police adress registration or any other document; it only has a National ID (身份证) option. Has anyone had similar issue and how was it solved, thanks in advance

How does one book the qingdao Incheon ferry? None of the suggested websites seem to work, do we need to wait until we are in qingdao and go in person to the ferry port?

We are looking to take the ferry in mid November as part of a round the world trip.

Hello, I'm wondering if anyone can answer some potentially basic questions in regards to attending events/concerts in China as a foreigner. My fiancee and I are planning to travel to China quite a bit. We're fans of certain brands in China that host events where you can buy tickets to. My understanding is these types of event tickets are sold on things like billi billi or Daimai (Maiseat for global). And my additional understanding is that you would typically need a Chinese phone number and either an ID or passport to validate your identity through an app as you make the purchase.

The area I have questions about is, if I want to book travel to China, and let's say I know there's an event in December I want to go to with tickets going on sale in September. Let's also assume there are no international tickets on associated platforms And I'm also planning a trip in March. Is it possible or sensible to go to China in March. Buy a phone and a phone plan while I'm there, this phone plan would (I assume) need to include international roaming if possible, while there download the applications for the apps where tickets would go on sale.

The only way I could think to do this would be if I knew someone who could purchase on my behalf but we're people who like to do things ourselves. Somebody tell me if this is overthinking or there's a service that achieves the same thing, etc. I don't mind going through these efforts if it meant we could have an easier time booking things in China while not physically in the country.

Thanks!

Hallo zusammen, ich habe schon öfters China besucht und viele verschiedene chinesische Städte bereist und habe für etwa 8 Monate in der Stadt Hengyang in der Provinz Hunan gelebt.

Ich möchte gerne Freunde aus China finden um miteinander zu schreiben und über China und auch über zukünftige Reisen zu reden. Um per WhatsApp oder wechat Kontakt zu haben.

Ich komme aus Österreich und würde mich sehr freuen wenn sich jemand meldet. 🇨🇳❤️🇦🇹

Hi everyone,

I’m currently in the process of putting together my application for a Z work visa and I'm based in the UK. As expected, I need to get my core documents notarised and apostilled.

I've started looking into how to go about this but I’d love to hear about recent experiences or advice on a few specific points:

1. Solicitor Certification vs. Public Notary: Did you use a standard UK solicitor or a registered Public Notary? I’ve seen conflicting info on whether a cheaper solicitor certification is accepted or if it strictly requires a Notary Public stamp.
2. Direct FCDO vs. Express Agencies: Did you process the apostille yourself directly through the FCDO Legalisation Office online (£45/doc)? How long are turnaround times taking right now? If you used an all-in-one third-party agency, was it worth the extra cost?
3. Medical Checks: Did you need to find a specialist provider or go through a GP or a private GP?
4. General Watch-outs: Any unexpected hiccups or mistakes to avoid when getting documents prepped?

If anyone has recently gone through this process or can recommend reliable, affordable services, I’d really appreciate your insight!

Thanks in advance!