I lived in China since 2008 (Beijing, Shenzhen, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Shanghai), left Sep '22. The way the pandemic was handled in Shanghai was absolutely dehumanizing, and it became the last drop after which we just decided to GTFO and never come back.
We (myself and my wife, who is Chinese) moved to Bangkok and I can confidently say it is a much happier and healthier place in every aspect.
Many things about China are amazing:
- e-commerce speed and proximity of everything, I work in SW/FW/HW intersection (IoT) and the ability to prototype things within a week was liberating,
- public transportation and infrastructure is amazing, perfect roads, huge subway systems, CRH,
- completely cashless society.
Many things are not so amazing:
- stifling censorship of everything even slightly critical,
- food is just not good in Shanghai, quality- and taste-wise, Bangkok is much, much better,
- terrible, overcrowded, dehumanizing healthcare,
- outside of city center the city is rather gray and ugly,
- everything is gargantuan in scale and feels built for aliens,
We (myself and my wife, who is Chinese) moved to Bangkok and I can confidently say it is a much happier and healthier place in every aspect.
Many things about China are amazing:
- e-commerce speed and proximity of everything, I work in SW/FW/HW intersection (IoT) and the ability to prototype things within a week was liberating,
- public transportation and infrastructure is amazing, perfect roads, huge subway systems, CRH,
- completely cashless society.
Many things are not so amazing:
- stifling censorship of everything even slightly critical,
- food is just not good in Shanghai, quality- and taste-wise, Bangkok is much, much better,
- terrible, overcrowded, dehumanizing healthcare,
- outside of city center the city is rather gray and ugly,
- everything is gargantuan in scale and feels built for aliens,
- rudeness, constant shoving, spitting, loud speaking, smoking everywhere,
- in Shanghai downtown every sidewalk is completely lined with rental bikes, scooters, people's bikes, often there's nowhere to walk but the street,
- everything "historical" is fake,
- terribly overpriced real estate,
- the fact that after 15 years in China as an expat with an own house and Chinese family you still get nothing, no PR, no citizenship, nothing,
- 996 is real, everybody is always stressed and overworked,
- no real justice system, there is no attorney-client privilege,
- entire industries can be decimated overnight by some new policy,
- everything is "chabuduo", faucet leaks, chabuduo, just tape it with scotch tape,
- complete lack of empathy to animals, don't watch Chinese tourists in the zoo (and don't go to local zoos),
- there's a single purpose in life — make money,
- no diversity, everyone is Han, everyone thinks pretty much the same,
- no real religion, temples are there to gather money and bless your new business or a car,
- if you drive a Bentley, you're a king of the road, yield only to Rolls-Royce,
- ...I can continue, but probably this is enough :D