On Dec. 29, 2010, the Economist did a story comparing the lives of Western and Chinese expats.
In brief:
* Western expats in China “can have almost anything, for a price: soufflés and sushi, Western-style villas with gardens, private schools with famous names for their children.”
* Western expats may find annoyances, such as air pollution, censorship, and 4am conference calls with the head office in America. But life is otherwise comfortable.
* Western expats are immersed in China’s growing market, although government rules may be less than transparent. And any company with three or more Communist Party members needs to establish a Party cell.
In contrast:
* Chinese expats sent to the West do not enjoy the save pay and perks as their Western counterparts. And services are not available as cheaply in the West and in China, often putting the housemaids they are accustomed to out of their economic reach. They are not used to cooking and cleaning for themselves.
* Chinese expats often come without their families. “They don’t have the kind of expat package that pays for the kids’ education and the wife’s shopping.†This makes for a lonely, gloomy time.
* “In China a senior executive at a state-owned firm is a big fish. Waiters and receptionists grovel before him. The police treat him with deference. In [the West] he is just another middle-aged man in a suit.”
* While a spell in China helps a Western executive rise to the top, Chinese executives, especially at state-owned firms, win promotion by cultivating the right people, and those people live in China.
* “Views of Chinese companies outside China are quite negative.†Most Westerners would struggle to name a single Chinese brand. This attitude makes it hard to sell directly to Western consumers.
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