Would you travel or send dc to study abroad in Shanghai or Hong Kong right now?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would say no. China has a habit of imposing exit bans on foreigners to use as bargaining chips, and there has been some worrying incidents of violence against foreigners this past year by locals. In a society controlled by the CCP, public sentiment against Americans can turn nasty very fast (and it is already not good).

For language, go to Taiwan. It will not be the same but close enough.

I lived there for years and never saw that happen, and I saw a lot of sh-t happen. A friend lost her passport in a taxi and they didn’t care if she ever left. After going to several police offices, I finally asked the expat community for someone I could bribe.

General Americans are safe there because they will make an example out of any Chinese who hurts them. I would let my kid go because it’s getting to the point where is just as unsafe in the US. For bodily safety for American women, it’s much safer in China. I walked home at 1am often with no issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No way. If anything happened to your kid, there is no legal system to turn to.

I’m pp, that’s not exactly true. The American embassy will help you, unless the state on their website they can’t help you, like during swine/bird flu if you were quarantined. If there was an epidemic or some kind of mass violence though, I’d hightail it to the airport with my purse and passport.

[Anonymous]

If your child is a son and you send him to China you can forget about him ever returning. He WILL end up married to a local. My brother and his best friend went for a one year stint ...16 years ago. His friend got a girl pregnant in his first month there.

[Anonymous]

Yes,
Most people understand the difference between the government policy and the citizens of that country are different.
Ask people who travel to Iran or Afghanistan the people are very friendly to American tourist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes,
Most people understand the difference between the government policy and the citizens of that country are different.
Ask people who travel to Iran or Afghanistan the people are very friendly to American tourist.

It's not the people. It is the government. No. I would not want my child to go to Hong Kong or Shanghai. And, Hong Kong was one of my favorite cities in the whole world.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes,
Most people understand the difference between the government policy and the citizens of that country are different.
Ask people who travel to Iran or Afghanistan the people are very friendly to American tourist.

It's not the people. It is the government. No. I would not want my child to go to Hong Kong or Shanghai. And, Hong Kong was one of my favorite cities in the whole world.

I don’t recall China arresting American citizens for political negotiations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your child is a son and you send him to China you can forget about him ever returning. He WILL end up married to a local. My brother and his best friend went for a one year stint ...16 years ago. His friend got a girl pregnant in his first month there.

This is more likely scenario than anything else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes,
Most people understand the difference between the government policy and the citizens of that country are different.
Ask people who travel to Iran or Afghanistan the people are very friendly to American tourist.

Yeah many people there are very friendly. Actually I remember spending a couple weeks drinking tea with this one group of very friendly locals over there only to catch them gang raping kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t see how either place is worse than Trump’s America.

This is where I am. IMO, the Chinese know most Americans do not support Trump and would treat Americans who would be interested in being in china better than Trump would treat those same (liberal/DEI/communist) students.

It is not an issue of what they know or don’t know. It is about your kid being an easy target if someone needs an American to make an example of. A lot on this thread have an overly high opinion of the CCP.

China is far savvier and more patient than we are. Given many of our current issues, we have helped their star rise. I don’t think they are going to risk world opinion on harassing an American kid.

[Anonymous]

I lived in hk and one of my kids was born there. I wouldn’t send my kids there for school. I would be fine if they chose to move to hk or China as an adult to work, but I don’t think living under an authoritarian government as a young student is ideal. I have plenty of friends still in hk, and they love it, but living under an authoritarian government has a price. It influences the way you think, your ability to think independently, and your eagerness to question authority. They don’t even seem to realize it, but I can see that they have more of a see no evil philosophy and a willing incuriosity because it’s just futile to think otherwise.

[Anonymous]

I’d probably not want my kid in a polluted hellhole like Shanghai. It’s a miserable place in my experience.

[Anonymous]

Is your DC outspoken about politics/religion or are they mainly interested in cultural/language immersion?

As someone who grew up in China, I think your DC will be fine if they stay away from touchy topics. But if you're really concerned, sure, Taiwan or even Singapore are safer alternatives albeit not quite the same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No way. If anything happened to your kid, there is no legal system to turn to.

I’m pp, that’s not exactly true. The American embassy will help you, unless the state on their website they can’t help you, like during swine/bird flu if you were quarantined. If there was an epidemic or some kind of mass violence though, I’d hightail it to the airport with my purse and passport.

No, it is exactly true. The American embassy is more of a liaison and doesn’t issue get out of jail free cards in the nonexistent Chinese legal system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’d probably not want my kid in a polluted hellhole like Shanghai. It’s a miserable place in my experience.

Ok, that was my experience 25 years ago and again 10 years ago BUT not just last year. Nothing could be further from what I saw. Shanghai looked great. Clean, good air, really nice. I will give the government props for what they did to transform the place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes,
Most people understand the difference between the government policy and the citizens of that country are different.
Ask people who travel to Iran or Afghanistan the people are very friendly to American tourist.

It's not the people. It is the government. No. I would not want my child to go to Hong Kong or Shanghai. And, Hong Kong was one of my favorite cities in the whole world.

It's not just the government. I'm pretty sure there is stuff around the corners that you don't see as a visitor. I mean I was at a subway terminal waiting for taxi, and the pick pockets were thicker and more aggressive than black fly. My in-laws all from China said basically we're never going back. There were some stories also about the government though. People there don't travel, much. When they travel, they stick to tours.