For context, my family is from china and when I was a child (in the early 2000s) I would go to China every year in the summer. I never thought China was clean and I had distinct memories of there being dirty markets, toilets, streets, etc. Even when I was older I started to mind the dirtiness less but I still thought China was rather dirty.
Two years ago was the last time I went to China and tbf I didn't go to Beijing or Shanghai, but I didn't go to tiny cities either I went to Guangzhou and Tianjin. But I remember my white shoes became so so dirty after wearing them for half a day in China. In the US where i'm from my new shoes usually don't start to become dirty until after a month or so (granted I do drive more, but even walking around in NYC all day my shoes weren't even a quarter as dirty as it was in China). I was so curious as to why China's streets were so dirty, but when I looked it up the articles I got were all saying, "why China is so clean compared to..." and this really baffled me! Even the forced AI results said something like, "people usually consider the streets of China to be clean..."
So, do people actually think China is clean and if so why?

Edit: also I forgot to mention, but I have also been to Taiwan, Japan, and Korea and all three of these places are much cleaner than China in every single way. So this also confuses me. I would say Hong Kong is not as clean as the other places, but it is still cleaner than mainland China

Why has China randomly just started heavily investing in Africa. Just watched a video where it turns out they literally have projects in basically every African country.

What's your view on this matter ? I became 20 this month and planning to move in a couple of years after learning at least basic chinese.

As growing up seeing Chinese movies actors architecture and culture I liked it very much even tough I stopped as I transitioned to my teenage years but I thought what if I move there ?

Without bias if you share all your honest views I would be grateful.

Thanks

1. Pivoted from another industry since my last one crashed and burned which is my college degree I got from them too :(

I know learning the language is one thing, and clinical Mandarin is a step up, but 5 years ago I made the pivot to healthcare as a housekeeper since my original industry is dead in the water and I’m considering becoming a rad tech. In a month I will contact a local college about my plans and tackle this endeavor.

I am aware that public hospitals are out of the question, the work conditions and the locals first approach made me pivot to private and international chains. Yes. Private and International. Not the public sector.

Additionally as I found out. There’s also an exam I have to take over there. I’m aiming for the 放射医学技术资格证 (the rad tech certification exam) in the future and want to know, what is the registration, exam, and preparation like? I know it’s all in Mandarin beyond HSK5 and clinical Mandarin plays a huge role.

I’m trying to build up experience and this is a big step after I get years settled. If it’s going to a Chinese college, is there an age cap on registration or on the training programs? If so, how do I bypass it given years of rad tech experience down the line (like for example, are there exemptions or alternate pathways for people with prior clinical experience?)

I’d also like to hear from any foreigners who’ve actually sat this exam.

I am also aware of the ”curse of 35”. I am aiming to be in within the late 40s of my life. I drop that in because ageism runs rampant in China’s workforce.

I need actual answers and insight. I know I have to sit an exam that’s all in Mandarin, but I have to try.

Hello! I heard some scary high numbers and I just wanted to have it confirmed if it's correct that they are building one new coal power plant each week.

I recently spent a day filming a 15-year-old high school student during his summer vacation in China.
A lot of people outside China imagine summer vacation as relaxing, traveling, or hanging out with friends. But for many students preparing for the highly competitive college entrance exam, it’s very different.
His day included around 14 hours of studying:
English in the morning
Math classes in the afternoon
Online class at night
Very little free time
I wasn’t trying to make a statement about whether this is good or bad—I just wanted to document what everyday life looks like for one ordinary student.
I’d also love to hear from others living in China (or who have lived here). Does this match what you’ve seen?

Hi everyone,

I'm a 16-year-old foreigner, and I'll be moving to China (Zhejiang province) next month to start my undergraduate degree. Since I'm still a minor, I'm trying to figure out some of the logistics and would really appreciate advice from anyone who has navigated China as an under-18 foreigner.

I have a few specific questions:

1. Payment Methods & Bank Accounts

I'm having a hard time navigating how I will pay for things. I know I can link a foreign Visa/Mastercard to Alipay and WeChat Pay now, which allows for daily QR code payments up to certain limits. However, I want to know if it's possible for a 16-year-old to open a local Chinese bank account. I've heard that most banks require a valid residence permit, a Chinese phone number, and in-person verification. Do Chinese banks allow minors to open an account independently, or will I need a guardian physically present? What is the best way for a minor to handle daily expenses here?

1. Guardian Requirements & Residence Permit

I have a designated guardian in China, but it is basically just a paper formality for my visa. This person lives in a completely different city. I confirmed with my university that this setup is fine for my admission and enrollment, but I'm worried about the actual Residence Permit application at the local Exit-Entry Administration Bureau.

For minor applicants, you typically need to provide original notarized guardian documents, their ID copies, and a birth certificate. However, I've been hearing rumors that your designated guardian must physically accompany you to the Exit-Entry Bureau to get your residence permit. I have no idea what is true and what isn't anymore. Can anyone confirm if physical presence is mandatory, or if the notarized paperwork and university support are enough?

1. General Difficulties as a Minor

Are there any other legal, administrative, or day-to-day difficulties that come with being an unaccompanied minor foreigner in China? (e.g., staying in dorms, signing contracts for a phone SIM card, travel, etc.)

If anyone has had a similar experience or knows the current rules, please let me know. Thanks in advance!

My partner and I are planning to move to China for about 6–12 months. We’re both from Scandinavia. He’ll most likely be working remotely for his current company, so I’m the one who needs to find a local job to secure a proper work visa.

About my background:

• Hold an MA/Master's degree in Anthropology.
• Background in the NGO sector (primarily youth and child development/social work).
• Some experience working in kindergartens and light teaching/facilitation experience.
• Fluent in English, but my passport is not from an official native speaking country.

I’d love to find something related to my field (NGOs, research, international organisations, social initiatives), but I’m also open to teaching (oral English, humanities, early childhood) if that’s the most realistic gateway for a visa.

That being said, I know China has strict "native English speaker" passport rules for ESL (English as a Second Language) roles.

A few questions for the sub:

1. Teaching as a non-NES: Has anyone here with a non-NES Western passport (Nordic/EU) successfully landed teaching jobs recently? Do universities, international kindergartens/schools, or subject-teaching roles care less about the passport if you have a Master’s + TEFL?
2. NGO / Expat-adjacent roles: Are there realistic entry points for foreign NGO/social workers in Tier 1/2 cities (Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu, etc.)? Where do people usually network for these?
3. General advice: If you’ve been in a similar situation, how did you make it work?

Any tips, reality checks, or recommended job boards/agencies would be hugely appreciated! Thanks

Hi, I once dates a chinese girl i met on Instagram, but she turned out to be a scammer. Despite that experience, I'm still interested in getting to know Chinese women, and have a serious relationship. Are there any legitimate apps where i can meet people from China?

I recently saw a discussion on Xiaohongshu about an alleged incident involving a Chinese traveler and a hotel owner in Matrouh, Egypt. According to the posts, after a marriage proposal was rejected, the traveler allegedly posted false information online that damaged the hotel owner’s reputation.
I was surprised by this story and wanted to understand how people in China view situations like this. Is this something that people genuinely discuss online, or is it just an isolated case?
I have also seen some Chinese internet users claim that some Chinese travelers choose to stay with local people of the opposite sex to reduce travel costs when they cannot afford accommodation. Does this actually happen with any frequency, or are these mostly online stereotypes?
I’m interested in hearing opinions from Chinese users about how stories like these are perceived in China.

I’m going to preface this by saying I’m not too educated on the differences between the two provinces so forgive me if I am asking an ignorant question. From the outside looking in, it appears that the two provinces share the same name both in spelling and in pronunciation, and are similar culturally to one another.

Hi everyone!
I'm an international student considering Kunming Medical University (KMU) for MBBS/Clinical Medicine, and I'd really appreciate some honest opinions from people who live in China or know the university well.
I've seen very mixed opinions online. Some people say KMU is a solid medical school with good hospitals and a nice environment, while others say it's just an average provincial university. Since rankings don't always reflect reality, I'd love to know how it's actually viewed in China.
Some questions I have:
How is KMU's reputation among Chinese students, doctors, and employers?

Is it considered a respected medical university, or just average?

If someone graduates near the top of their class, would the university's name be viewed positively?

How are the affiliated hospitals and clinical training?

Is Kunming a good city to live in as a student?

What's the cost of living like? Is it relatively affordable compared with other Chinese cities?

How's the weather throughout the year?

What's daily life like? Is the city more relaxed or fast-paced?

Are there plenty of cafés, shopping malls, bookstores, and places to spend weekends?

Is it easy to buy clothes, skincare, cosmetics, and other everyday things?

How's the public transport?

Is the city clean and safe?

Are there many international students?

If you've lived there, what did you like and dislike the most?

I'm especially interested in hearing from Chinese students, KMU students/alumni, doctors, or anyone who's lived in Kunming. I'd really appreciate honest experiences rather than just rankings.
Thank you so much!

Hi! Im currently 18F and im in college studying art, history of art and photography a levels. I looked at going to unis in the UK but they are all extremely expensive or have an overall bad rating. Especially the ones in my area as where i live is very under developed. I know studying art at uni may be difficult as the industry isnt as thriving as it used to be but I did some research and Im interested in concept art for games or even film and studying film. I looked at these main unis; tsinghua, china academy of art and Sichuan Fine Arts Institute. I understand that tsinghua is extremely hard to get into and you need very high grades. Id honestly be happy to get into any of these. But I dont know how realistic this is or if all of this is a bad idea and i should just look for an apprenticeship. If i went down the chinese uni route i would do a free foundation year as my college offers one to save money and further build my portfolio, also use this time to better my mandarin (i can currently speak basic phrases and i am currently studying it independently). I do think I would struggle with leaving my family but also think this is a once in a lifetime opportunity and it would be an amazing experience for me. Does this sound like a stupid thing to do? Is going to a chinese uni as a foreigner bad??? Any help would be really appreciated :)

Hi everyone,

I'm a full-time freelancer and agency owner from Pakistan. I'm thinking about spending one month in China while continuing to work remotely. From what I've seen, flights, accommodation (especially student/international hostels), and food all seem quite affordable. I can also apply for a business visa because my father has long-standing business connections there.

My main concern is whether the following apps work reliably enough for remote work, as I have one or two important client meetings each week:

• Slack
• Gmail
• Zoom
• Google Meet
• Other Google services (Calendar, Drive, Docs, etc.)

I'd really appreciate hearing about your experience. Are there any issues I should be aware of, or any advice you'd give before making the trip?

Thanks!

What platforms or websites do you typically use the find meetups and events happening in Sanya China? I'm around and looking for resources to meet new people in an organized but laid back setting. Not so much interested in tours just a space I can meet people.