The bottom line is that, unlike the US, China is not a country of immigrants. In 2020, only about .1 percent of the mainland population was made up of foreigners, according to one estimate by researchers from the Kiel Institute for the World Economy. That’s roughly 1.4 million people in a country of more than 1.4 billion. In the United States, by contrast, 15 percent of the population is made up of immigrants. Even other East Asian nations, like Japan and South Korea, are home to far more foreigners than China in terms of their relative population size.
Because the US already has a large immigrant population from all over the world, it can be easier for new arrivals to adjust. Local companies operate in English, the language of global business. Colleagues and friends communicate through platforms like Gmail and Instagram, which are available in most parts of the world. And when it comes to creature comforts, H-1B recipients from India or China who land in San Francisco or New York will have no trouble finding restaurants (even good ones!) that serve food that tastes like home.
In China, however, newcomers must navigate a corporate landscape that operates largely in Chinese, a language few foreigners study in grade school or while pursuing a STEM degree. The country’s tech ecosystem is also totally unique. New arrivals face not only an unfamiliar language and culture, but also a suite of unfamiliar programs and apps, most notably WeChat.
Better Reputation
There are signs that more people might be willing to overcome these barriers to experience the benefits of living in China, a place now increasingly associated with high-speed trains, electric cars, and futuristic cities. In places like Greece, Spain, and Germany, the majority of people now view China as the world’s top economic power, according to the Pew Research Center. Africa, the continent with the world’s youngest and fastest-growing population, already sends more students to study in China each year than to the US or UK.
I’ve personally noticed that my American friends and family seem to have much more positive impressions of China than they did a few years ago. That might be in part due to the popularity of Chinese exports like TikTok, Temu, and Labubu. Several friends have even told me they specifically want to visit Chongqing, a Chinese megacity that didn’t attract many foreign tourists until videos of its skyline and hot pot restaurants went viral on Instagram and TikTok.
Whether this growing curiosity translates into people actually moving to China will depend in part on how the government handles programs like the new K visa. The policy lowers barriers for people who want to study or work there, but it has also stirred anxieties at home. For now, it’s unclear whether it will become a genuine gateway for new waves of international talent, or falter in the face of the same rising nationalist sentiments reshaping politics around the world.
This is an edition of Zeyi Yang and Louise Matsakis’ Made in China newsletter. Read previous newsletters here.
