Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow I'm really surprised by the reactions here although maybe I shouldn't be. Some of the reactions don't sound terribly well informed about China and are borderline racist.

My DS is a Chinese major and planning to go to Shanghai in the fall for a semester. We've talked to a lot of people, including senior USG officials, and I don't see a basis for all the hysteria here. Yes, it's an authoritarian state, but so are many countries where students go (outside of Europe obv.) My kid is interested in understanding the country, he's not going to party or to engage in activism. We recognize that he'll need throwaway electronics and will likely be unable to access Western social media platforms while he's there.

Taiwan is an option of course - and not a bad one. But there are some differences in the language and it doesn't give you first hand understanding of China today. Some people have described Taiwan as having preserved "real" Chinese culture, whereas China today is very much shaped by the CCP unfortunately. But it's a huge factor in the world, in the global economy, etc.

There are something like 300k Chinese students in the US but only 700 American students in China. That's not especially good for us.

Just warn your kid that he will be under surveillance the entire time he is there. They will assume he is a spy. Good luck.

Or they will bribe him to recruit him as a spy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow I'm really surprised by the reactions here although maybe I shouldn't be. Some of the reactions don't sound terribly well informed about China and are borderline racist.

My DS is a Chinese major and planning to go to Shanghai in the fall for a semester. We've talked to a lot of people, including senior USG officials, and I don't see a basis for all the hysteria here. Yes, it's an authoritarian state, but so are many countries where students go (outside of Europe obv.) My kid is interested in understanding the country, he's not going to party or to engage in activism. We recognize that he'll need throwaway electronics and will likely be unable to access Western social media platforms while he's there.

Taiwan is an option of course - and not a bad one. But there are some differences in the language and it doesn't give you first hand understanding of China today. Some people have described Taiwan as having preserved "real" Chinese culture, whereas China today is very much shaped by the CCP unfortunately. But it's a huge factor in the world, in the global economy, etc.

There are something like 300k Chinese students in the US but only 700 American students in China. That's not especially good for us.

Just warn your kid that he will be under surveillance the entire time he is there. They will assume he is a spy. Good luck.

Anonymous wrote:There's nothing "borderline" about many of these ignorant posts.

Anonymous wrote:I would not send my child to China. What about Taiwan?

Anonymous wrote:Wow I'm really surprised by the reactions here although maybe I shouldn't be. Some of the reactions don't sound terribly well informed about China and are borderline racist.

My DS is a Chinese major and planning to go to Shanghai in the fall for a semester. We've talked to a lot of people, including senior USG officials, and I don't see a basis for all the hysteria here. Yes, it's an authoritarian state, but so are many countries where students go (outside of Europe obv.) My kid is interested in understanding the country, he's not going to party or to engage in activism. We recognize that he'll need throwaway electronics and will likely be unable to access Western social media platforms while he's there.

Taiwan is an option of course - and not a bad one. But there are some differences in the language and it doesn't give you first hand understanding of China today. Some people have described Taiwan as having preserved "real" Chinese culture, whereas China today is very much shaped by the CCP unfortunately. But it's a huge factor in the world, in the global economy, etc.

There are something like 300k Chinese students in the US but only 700 American students in China. That's not especially good for us.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:State Department has it at a Level 3 due to arbitrariness of government denying exits. My bigger fear would be another COVID type lockdown. How would you advise your child?

Why on earth would anyone want to go to China, for anything? My friend was on a boat and saw a dead body floate by them. No one flinched. Chinese people try to come to the U.S. for damn good reason. At the very least, it is overcrowded and polluted. We are heading in that same direction.

Anonymous wrote:State Department has it at a Level 3 due to arbitrariness of government denying exits. My bigger fear would be another COVID type lockdown. How would you advise your child?

Anonymous wrote:Hong Kong?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Phone taps for tourists as well as students?

Yes.

Everyone who flies into China will come home with a nice gift of spyware on all devices.