Shanghai's Shrinking Expat Population: What Might This Mean For China? | CNA Correspondent

Comments · 1.3K

• KN

  @Kneeslider64 · 1 year ago

  I have been living in Ningbo for over eight years now, the number of foreigners living here has dropped dramatically and shows no sign of recovery

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• PA

  @pablomax3045 · 1 year ago (edited)

  As someone who just moved full time to Shanghai in the beginning of 2025, but visited many times over the last 10 years, I found this story to be rather interesting. <br>During the pre-pandemic boom, this was really the first venture into &quot;conspicuous consumerism&quot; where people opening flaunted their wealth, or at least tried to give the impression of wealth. <br>Historically, the Chinese have been a saving people. Save every penny, never pay full price! So, it&apos;s really a turn back to the more traditional. At least, according to my wife, who grew up here in the 80&apos;s and 90&apos;s.<br>I can confirm that being an expat with a family is extraordinarily expensive in Shanghai. If your child is not Chinese, they are not allowed to attend public school, so one of the international schools are the only option. For slots in the school, you also compete against rich local people who wish for their kids to attend. <br>Anyhow, it feels like the energy in Shanghai as started to increase in the short time I&apos;ve been here. I hope it continues.

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• PA

  @paulbadics3500 · 1 year ago

  Govt started cracking down on expat english teachers &amp; causing other issues for expats before covid during the hong kong protesrs

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• NA

  @NathanShi-o4q · 1 year ago

  Lovely to see chef Lasagna here, I eat at bambino almost every other week. Nice small place, authentic Italian &nbsp;food.😋

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• JE

  @Jeff-sm8of · 1 year ago

  All Asian countries only pay local salaries. No more expat salary.

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• SL

  @slc801 · 1 year ago

  A lot of people left NewYork after the lockdown and you can tell by the empty office building gradually I hope things return to normality

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• ST

  @stellablu1976 · 1 year ago

  The big elephant in the room is politics

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• WI

  @windsong3wong828 · 1 year ago

  There are fewer expats in Kuala Lumpur in 2024 vs 2019 as well.<br>But there are more expats in 2024 vs 2023. <br>Working from home show that a lot of expats are working from home ….instead of heading to the Asian cities.

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• PE

  @peterwu8471 · 1 year ago

  This is happening all over China and It&apos;s been happening for about 10 years, with increasing rapidity.

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• HE

  @heartthrobheart6288 · 1 year ago

  Same think in other places expats used to get high pay for less work. Now competition from local talent is reducing these benefits and jobs go to locals . So they leave to better paying places

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• TH

  @TheLydiaR · 1 year ago

  A few years ago I was in Shangai &nbsp;- extreme air pollution hanging over the city like a black cloud and terrible traffic jams. &nbsp;They also knocked down a lot of heritage architecture from the French colonial era about 30 years ago.

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• SA

  @sarahnickerson8955 · 1 year ago

  I was locked in my Shanghai apartment for 70 days during covid. The suffering!!!

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