July. 2022; the tides of change

As a guest here in the glorious PR of C, I have many things to be grateful for. I’ve travelled to some beautiful areas of the country, and there’s still dozens upon dozens more I’d like to go see. Nearly all people I’ve encountered are warm and friendly, extremely hospitable and respectful. For the past 12 years, my experiences here have made me feel welcome, made me feel like “this could be home.” We all know that every place has problems, aspects of life with room for improvement, but nowhere is perfect. You just have to figure out what’s important for you, for your life, growth and personal happiness, and make the best of the cards in your hand. You can choose to see things as an optimist, as a pessimist, or as a realist. I’m mostly hovering between optimist and realist, I try not to dwell on life's negatives all too much. But, sometimes things happen, there’s an event or twist of fate, and it’s just hard to keep the smile on.

Just a few days ago I received a knock on the door, and the polite SF delivery guy handed me a box. Inside was a painting, sent as a parting gift by a friend of mine named Dennis, who is leaving China for the next chapter of his life. I wish him all the very best, he is a kind and gentle soul, and a gifted artist. But there’s been all too-many people like Dennis. Over the past 2 years, I simply cannot count the number of people I know who’ve left here. Scores. It’s not exactly been reported 100% correctly in the media, with “official sources” often choosing to paint over some issues, and focus more on the hearts and flowers of modern life. Keep everything in harmony. But this really is happening. Hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of ex-pats are packing their bags and leaving on a jet plane. And for many, it’s not a case of “the grass is greener on the other side of the fence,” many have been offered little or no option to stay any longer. But why?

As regular viewers of the Sunday Scribble will have read previously, the visa process for China has changed beyond recognition. Up until just a few years ago, getting a 1-year visa for China was like this; You go to Hong Kong in the morning, drop your passport off at one of the many “tourism and travel” agencies, pay your money (usually around 800-1000rmb) and go relax around the city for the day. You go back at 5pm, and hey presto! Your passport has a lovely new 1-year visa in it. You could choose tourist or business visa (they were much the same) and your life was peachy for another year. I knew many, many people who lived in Shenzhen for over 10 years on tourist visas. Of course you can’t legally work on a tourist visa, but do you think that stopped them? Most of the teachers I knew back then worked on tourist visas, working full time or sometimes part time at a few different places, gave private 1-to-1 classes in cafes, and life was peachy. And even just a few years ago, some people got 5 or 10 year visas issued. I had a 5 year visa issued, and things felt secure. But, things sure change. So now, what’s the process?

Tourist visas are now non-existent. All cancelled. Business visas are now almost completely impossible to get. Perhaps if you’re CEO of a huge multi-billion dollar corporation then maybe, but for the average Joe, no way. By revoking all the tourist and business visas here for ex-pats, tens of thousands of people had to leave China. I was in the process of registering my own company during these times, and watching people be told “you have 7/14 days to leave China” in the visa office, I saw floods of tears from some people, aggression and anger from others, feelings of despair from others. Some people had been here for years, as I had, and to be told “you have a week to pack up your life and leave” would be devastating. If you’re in China now and your visa is getting close to expiration, you have 3 choices; Work for a company here and hope/pray they treat you well. Register your own company here, as I did, and get ready for the bureaucratic nightmare of endless documents and paperwork, plus all the massive expenses involved. Or lastly, get married to a Chinese partner. A, B, or C. Or leave. But even those options don’t guarantee things are water-tight. I heard recently of a guy who has been running his own company here for 13 years, and he was told that this time his visa would not be renewed. But why? The answer we’ve all heard way too many times. “No why.”

When it comes to the cancellation of so many visas, in many ways I can mostly understand why. If you’re living and working here on a tourist or business visa, there’s very little chance you’re paying tax. And in any country to choose to make some cash, you gotta pay your way. For a long, long time, China was an “easy” place to live. You could make some money, enjoy the quality of life, and gain an insight to an amazing country. But now it quite clearly seems that the doors are being closed. The soviet union countries thought that closing the doors was a good idea, to be self sufficient and prosper. And how did that work out for them?

Along with the visa issues, the thing that’s sent many packing is how the virus policies have being enforced over the past year. Face masks and health codes are one thing, but locking people in their homes (or the makeshift emergency hospitals) is entirely another. In many countries, the harshest punishment you can give a convicted criminal is to take away their freedom. And yet how can perfectly innocent people here be locked away in the same manner? Some people in Shanghai were under lock-down for almost 3 months. That’s insane. In the UK, 3 months is a prison sentence, not a “precautionary measure.” Even many Chinese people I know have left, and many more are planning to. Have things been taken a step too far? If you are to ask any foreigner in China if they personally know anybody who’s left recently, then I absolutely guarantee that they’ll have a list of people who’ve run for the hills. When people have been outwardly commenting and expressing their feelings of unhappiness over the last year, many have been met with the response of “If you don’t like it, why don’t you go home.” Well, many don’t like it. And many are going home. But what does this mean for the country, and it’s people, in the long term?

It really feels like the need for our cities to be considered “international” has lessened in importance. Sure, there are still foreigners in all the major cities here, but which are truly considered “international” cities? Shanghai, for sure. Maybe Guangzhou, maybe Beijing. But that’s it. In the most populous country in the world, we have 1 truly international city. 1. In the advancement of all societies, we need need to embrace multi nationalism, multi culture. We don’t learn or grow as a people if we only stay amongst the familiar. And like it or not, English will remain the international language of business for the foreseeable future. But, with so many native English speakers leaving (or being kicked out, in many cases) how will our children's language skill progress? How will our next generation be able to effectively compete on an international level, if they are lacking the basic ability to communicate? Even the private teaching of English is now banned, in an effort to “level the playing field” for children of lower income families. Or at least, that’s the reason we’re being told.

In the last couple of years, I’ve read many articles stating how the authorities are aiming to “attract highly skilled talent and professionals” to come here, but let’s be honest. If you’re a highly skilled and talented professional, would here be your first choice? Facing the difficulties of language, climate, cuisine, internet restrictions, and now virus control measures, I’m not sure even Shanghai could persuade many. In the past, there was a steady and continuing stream of people coming to China for work, they’d stay a year or two, enjoy the experience and then move and on, and be quickly replaced. But now, this is far from the case. If you’re outside of China now, it’s extremely difficult to get in. We’ve even seen how thousands of international students have been refused permission to return, their visas now expired, and study courses cancelled or abandoned. It’s hard to think that in December, just 4 months away, we’ll have been crippled by the virus for 3 solid years. And with continuing flare ups sporadically across the nation, there’s still no end in sight. How much longer will we live like this?

Just a few days ago I was out on my late evening walk with my dog. I’m sat outside the same shop I always do, drinking the same beer I always drink, and minding my own business. This middle aged guy sees me and starts wobbling towards me, clearly drunk as a lord. He stops a couple of metres away from me, and stares at me. He then shouts “fu*king laowei” at me, and kicks my dog. I stand up, and tell him “no, don’t do that..” The shop owner comes out. The guy stares at me still, and once again screams “fu*king laowei” and once again kicks my dog. His friend comes and takes him away, apologizing for this guys behavoir, all the while the drunk man is being carried away and still shouting “fuc*king laowei.” 3 security guards come, watch the guy being taken away, and unsurprisingly do nothing. The shop owner asks if I’m ok. I walk home, angry and upset. In any other country I’d take great pleasure in smashing this guys teeth down his throat, but I know better than to get in trouble here. After busting my ass to stay here, I’m not going to let some idiot be the cause of my deportation.

Something almost the same happened over 2 years ago, just at the beginning of the virus time, but this particular middle aged drunken man not only swore at me and kicked my dog, but also tried to spit in my face. These were simply two unfortunate instances, and I fully understand these were just two vile, racist people. The last two and a half years have really shown peoples true colours, both good and bad. Everyone feels upset. Everyone feels stress and worry, both financial and personal. Our country, and our people, have changed.

And sometimes, just sometimes, it’s really hard to feel like this is the right place. “If you don’t like it, then why don’t you go home.” Well, that certainly is an option.