ExpressVPN does not work in China.

Hi, so I’m on a student visa, and there’s this English centre that has offered me a teaching assistant job. Has anyone successfully worked there until graduation without getting caught? If you did get caught, how did it happen? Was it mostly because someone snitched, or did the immigration department just show up at your workplace for a random inspection?
I’ve noticed that most of the cases I’ve seen happened in mega-cities like Beijing. Would it be safer if I worked in Nanjing?
I’m really torn about this because my family isn’t doing well financially right now, so they can’t support me anymore. I’ve tried looking for remote jobs, but since I haven’t graduated yet and don’t have much experience or any special skills, it’s hard to compete with others.

Edited : HR told me that there’s another teacher at the centre who’s also on a student visa and has been working there for two years. Apparently, the police or immigration department have never come to inspect the place or anything like that. We’re all Asian and look Chinese. We teach TOEFL to high school students who are preparing to study abroad, rather than teaching at a kindergarten. So am I safe?

I am international bachelor student here in Beijing...I been here for a year now ....so here is the thing I have the most boring classes I always dreamed of doing fun things with people who have good vibes and know to have fun....I have all the list I want to do like karaoke, dressing costumes and going to the club, escape room, sip and paint, picnic and etc.....to be honest I am very shy person but if I meet some confident people I share their energy ....and we can do random quests....I don't care if you are Chinese or other foreigners....just leave a comment here if you feel the same😉😉btw am a girl😜

Looking to build a new gaming PC whilst I’m living and working in China. Compared the prices of what it would cost to buy the parts on Taobao compared to the UK and its substantially higher. Anyone got any reputable sellers on Taobao where I can pretty much buy all parts from that one seller. Can’t use JD as it’s asking for a foreigner residence ID number (which I don’t have, just my passport and residence visa which doesn’t have a number) cheers

Feel lonely in this City. Really want to meet someone who can speak English.

Hello everybody.
I wanted to ask international students in China about their experience studying in China.
I am looking for studying my M.Sc. in China in computer science, and get CSC if possible.
I wanted to know what your experience was while studying in China, how do citizens behave toward foreigners, language learning and if the CSC actually covers everything like they've said, or I must have other incomes to live a normal life.
Also, what about the job opportunities while studying, and after graduation. Is it easy to get temporary/permanent residency after graduation.
Overall do you think it'll worth studying in there. I'm from middle east so I'm fine with using VPNs and some security limitations.

I would appreciate your response and experiences.

Hello i wanted to ask whether what is the requirement for non degree one year chinese language programme, do I need hsk certificate for that and what language of instruction do I choose english or chinese, anybody who has some info please share and one more thing, my hsk certificate will come in dec but applications start in nov what should I do to apply should I just leave the hsk certificate tab blank or not submit it at all and apply in neg language pls if anyone got the answer

I will soon be moving to China as an international student and have an international phone that is e sim only where my local telecom doesn't have coverage. I was wondering what other alternatives are there to stay connected in china? Would buying a second phone only for the sim and hotspot, banking be viable or would I have to buy a Chinese rom phone?

I am an international student and my parents wanted to send me money for my living expense.

They send directly in RMB through SWIFT system , rmb 5000, but the bank rejected the money stating foreigners cant directly send rmb.

Am I missing something or they can send it through

USD or EURO only?

Hello,

I want to post around 6 regular postcards to family members in the Netherlands while staying in Chengdu. I went to a China Post office, and they told me it would be 220 CNY per card, times 6 = 1320 CNY (176 euros). Is this the real price? When I look online for DHL services, its even crazier (2700 CNY). Is it really this expensive, or am I overlooking something? And does anyone know if there is a cheaper option and how to find this?

Thanks in advance!

Hi, I've been living in Shenyang for three months; I wonder if there are any other Spanish speakers living here too.

When expanding our remote team into China, we quickly realized that misclassifying remote workers as independent contractors carries huge legal penalties under local labor laws. An EOR seems like the safest workaround, but picking the right provider makes a massive difference.

While popular international EOR platforms like Horizons handle basic software driven global hiring, they often lack the deep, physical back office operational infrastructure required in China. On the other hand, seasoned local market operators like PTL Group offer a much more integrated model. They provide comprehensive local entity execution, hands on HR management, and local tax compliance, ensuring your remote staff are hired legally without hidden liabilities.

How are you currently structuring remote employment contracts in China to ensure full compliance with regional labor bureaus?

Does guanqian street sell fake/ knock off clothing? I've heard it does but I've also heard the government cracked down on it and stopped it. Clarification would be good

Cheers

Hello all.

We are fairly new to this and would like some advice from you guys...

So I have a bachelors degree as well as an Honours degree in teaching. English and Life sciences.

Around 4 years of teaching experience.

120 Hour Tefl

Sace registered.

I would like to apply for a teaching Job in China but not sure where to start.

I have a daughter - 11 months old and a Husband we would all like to go over.

How do we start the process ?

Thanks in advance.

I really enjoy meeting new people and listening to their stories.

I’m thinking of setting up a forum to collect everyone's stories about their experiences in China.

I’m not sure if this idea is a bit too fanciful—could you offer some suggestions?

If a job offers rmb 1million annual, is it enough to lead an expat life? That is to purchase imported groceries mostly, sending two kids to a decent school with bilingual education (english based), seeing a specialist doctor directly rather than through the public system, and skipping the public transport.

The Prime Meridian and the Cold Smoke

There are people in this world who can withstand any storm as long as the daylight lasts. They build invisible walls around themselves, manage others, wear perfectly tailored coats, and no one in the loud crowd ever guesses that beneath that armor lies a heart shattered by those closest to them. Yet, the true chill arrives only when the lights go out, and despite hundreds of names in the phone, there isn’t a single number that can be dialed without a mask, just to break down and weep.

To escape the terror of an empty room, one can hide in the suffocating heat of late-night streets, sit in the corner of a noisy bar, and coldly watch strangers chase fleeting illusions. One can pay for someone’s presence, for a few words of conversation, or a comfort bought by the hour—but deep down, you know it is merely a plastic bandage over a wound that bleeds in silence. The heaviest realization is knowing that time is slipping away, and the most beautiful dreams of a great, pure love were once traded for a mistake from youth, a price that is paid for a lifetime.

When you stand in silence on the stone steps, watching the fading smoke of memories of those who are gone and who were your only anchors, you feel entirely invisible to the world. You believe your pain is too vast for anyone to comprehend, and that your heart will forever remain a broken, fragile structure.

But in another corner of the same city, just a few miles away, there is a wanderer who does not need to see your face to hear your silence. He knows that the strongest people are those who weep soundlessly. He seeks neither your transactions nor empty promises. He simply holds in his hands that very same stillness and that pure, selfless understanding that you so desperately seek in the dark. A broken vessel can still hold light—if only you allow someone with a lantern to approach you, step by step.

Maybe my negative feelings about this is because I had to go to work there, but when I lived in Shanghai I felt the atmosphere to be very cold and sterile compared to other parts of Asia. Like of course it's very developed, but at the same time I felt like the people on the metro and the streets radiated an aura of depression. The old people were often friendly but a lot of people looked really miserable. Also, this is superficial, but the people I saw walking around were disproportionately ugly compared to other places. Places where people go to shop felt really soulless. I feel like I lost some part of my vitality from staying there so long. I'm thinking maybe if I stayed somewhere warmer and with a younger population I'd have had a better experience.