Few events have transpired to me writing this entry - a good friend’s visit in GZ, a recent business trip back to Singapore, watching Revolutionary Road, recent spate of farewell parties, and the consumption of green tea with Johnnie Walker. And besides, friends who I’ve met in recent times would’ve already heard much of my life/career preach.
So I thought I’d detail it for a wider audience here:
9 reasons why Singaporeans should live and work in China.
1. You become richer, relatively.
This is true for the large part of China, because things are cheap. Here in Guangzhou, I live in a studio apartment for RMB 1900 rent. It’s double stories, fully furnished, has management and security, and very conveniently located. If you party, you can get Chivas for around RMB 600. That’s 2-3 times cheaper than Singapore or Hong Kong. My point being, in Singapore you would need to have worked a few more years, climbed higher in the corporate world to attain a salary that can support a similar lifestyle. In China, you get to skip ahead.
My studio apartment in GZ
2. Professional vantage
Being effectively bilingual puts us at strategic vantage point between international business, and China, for international businesses targeting China, as well as Chinese businesses looking to expand. Additionally, in China, the Singapore Brand comes across premium and trustworthy, probably because of all our clean and green, corruption free effective government diplomacy over the years, not forgetting recent contributions from the likes of Stefanie, Joi, JJ, and Du. But take heed: our bilingual competitive advantage is only temporal. I play football regularly with an expat community, there are some Russians and Turks who communicate with each other in the language second best to their native tongue - fluent mandarin.
3. Social vantage
Vantage point extends into the social as well. Well actually socialising is part of conducting business, isn’t it? In another social aspect, for local girls who fancy foreigners, Singaporeans might just be the right mix of the foreign touch (exposure, lifestyle, languages, expat salary etc.), with Chinese/Asian roots which renders us more bring-home-to-see-mum-able.
Easier and more effective social positioning was also one of the reasons I was able to put together the Guangzhou Freeze.
Guangzhou Freeze 2008
4. Singapore is 24km by 48km big.
It takes just around 1 hour to commute from our Eastern-most Changi Airport MRT station to the Western-most Jurong Joo Koon MRT Station. The world is a little bigger. Venturing abroad might just make our mind a little broader.
Some Singaporeans, they graduate from NUS/NTU and get a bank or engineering job, get a standard promotion within 5 years, and then again in 3, and you get married and start a family, you buy a house and send your kids to a good primary school… your whole life is mapped out. Stability may be a double entendre. I don’t buy too many new clothes or furniture here in Guangzhou because I’m taking and managing risks and am completely relocation-ready when one opportunity expires and another one calls.
I just think Singaporeans need to get out! You might make it big, or you might do so much, lose all your money, and return home.
But it’s not so much the destination, but the experience of having gone the distance. (and I don’t mean as a tourist).
5. China is 4-8 hours away.
Depending on which city you wish to land on, it’s just a 4-8 hours flight away. Home is not too far away in case you are the type who would miss home and chicken rice a lot.
6. If you look yellow, you blend in.
Ok, this, and some of the other points above, only apply to Singaporeans of Chinese ethnicity. Many a times, it is advantageous not to be too explicit in revealing your foreigner identity, because in China, goods and services are sometimes charged at face-value, like in a taxi, or restaurant. Talking in English/Singlish, or taking photos with the food with the happy peace sign would be a sure-giveaway.
7. Opportunities galore in China
There are plenty or opporunities around if one knows how to grab opportunities. A Chinese friend asked me, how did I gain my (reasonable) connections and network here despite starting from scratch just 6 months ago? To which I answered, it is a combination of luck, and making the right impression at the right time. I know of another Singaporean lady, who has been in China for almost 10 years. If you ask her what she does, she’d answer “杀人放火，绑架强奸，走私毒品等等我不做，其他的什么多有做。” (killing, arson, kidnap, rape, drugs smuggling etc - I don’t do these but I do just about everything else.
Streetbusking in Guangzhou
8. Nicer change of weather.
Here there are SEASONS. You wear different clothes. You get to experience the change of mood and comfort, together with the change of temperature. Sure, there are really hot months, but there are really cool months too where you can go out in nice coats and jackets, go play football and not perspire much..get what I’m saying?
9. Freedom in a foreign land
People say the air here is really bad. But to me, all I smell is freedom. Freedom to make big money at your own pace and ways, Freedom to live out your lifestyle. It’s in the air.
Tags: Living in China, Singaporeans abroad, Singaporeans in China, working in China
yeah…gd post
This is all part of your ploy to get us all there right?
Keep trying!!!
hahaha…well written. I’m HALF-convinced.
and also the ktv…
this post is really a eye-opener about china, people read this post can see balanced view of china,
actually i went to china, shenzhen, foshan, shunde (bruce lee birthplace), luohu, zhuhai, then hongkong, macau, 2 years ago,
i walked by foot, by bus, by mrt, the streets, the eatery shops, night stalls, shopping centres, walmart … … ,
stayed in very nice clean air-con, hotel in zhuhai (per night only $15 !) n quite clean old hotel ($10) in shenzhen……
i like most the ‘free air-con’ cold climate 10 celsius, i wear just a thin jersey,
i like sichuan spicy big fish shui3zhu3yu2, whole tomato omolette,
city view is nice, night view also nice, but i just find the cities too too big to go around … …
@big red dot, thanks for your comment! drop me a note if you’re visiting china (china) again
@celia, yes…. how can i convince the other half of you? haha. help me get yourself and all your friends here!
I’m already there for 2 and half years and still going….
very well written…precisely the reason why i’m here now!
Agreed with your interesting points. Have been there many times. Now planning… to relocate to guangzhou :)) cheers
I only started traveling since last year after Olympic in late September for the Tianjin Eco-City Project Ground Breaking Ceremony and subsequently made my own traveling to visit the following to explore and hoping to make a stint and your reasons reaffirm me.
Beijing/ Tianjin in Sep 08.
Shanghai in Nov 08.
Guangzhou & Shanghai in Dec 08.
Guangzhou in Mar/Apr 09.
Zhengzhou&Guangzhou in Jun 09 lately.
Guangzhou are mainly to explore the wholesale mall.
Thanks Willy and all who replied. Feel free to contact me if you need any help or advice when you’re in GZ or China in general. Cheers!
how to find jobs in china? that pay as well as i get in singapore?
@kieth, try Newchinacareer.com or MichaelPage.com.cn
why not make it 10? you’ll have 100 more
Cheap Cleocin-t Gel…
Few events have transpired to me writing this entry - a good friend’s visit in GZ a recent bus [...]…
Yup, all of the above reasons outlined the Pull factors very effectively. I like Point #1 Best.
Below is an article that outlines the Push factors for some “thinkers” who dare to break the norm and seek greener pastures.
An analysis of the UBS study (Part 3): Why Singaporeans are paupers in a first world economy
http://temasekreview.com/?p=12237
I work and live in Jinan. My job takes me to Qingdao, Nanjing and Shanghai and I am enjoying every bit of it. Not forgetting, I take holidays in the weekend to somewhere else. Just came back from Nei Menggu, saw the caoyuan and never seen the skies so blue.
Hi Junde,
If you still remember me, we used to be classmate in primary sch (peichun) and sch mate in VS, though kind of lost touch since then, but on and off got updates from mutual friends like Tee Hoon, who in fact send me your blog. This post is inspiring, at least me, and i can understand the idea you are delivering because of my half yr internship in Shanghai during my undergraduate. I may be going to Beijing for a internship at the end of this year and this post gave me the additional conviction that i had made the right choice.
If you still cant recall who i am, you can find me on facebook or nudge me on msn (vanhallenq@hotmail.com)
Warmest regards
Boon Yang
Hey Boon Yang, yes I definitely do remember you and the rest of the Pei Chun->VS gang
I might be moving to Beijing myself end of this year. keep in touch!
I’m intrigued and wish to know more.
Email me, please.
Tks
Hi Junde,
Interesting and useful article!!!
I will look for you when I visit Guangzhou or Beijing.
Cheers,
Tom
Hey I was wondering if the income tax in china is moneysucking? because i heard they take off 20to30% of your income.
@Sam by right yes, it depends on how much you earn and it can go up to 45%. by left…
alternatively, you might wish to take up Chinese Permanent Residency like this Singaporean
hi junde,
thanks for your interesting article
i am seriously considering teaching english in china after i graduate from nus, which is happening this august. any idea how i can go about applying for a post/making sure the website i’m applying at is not a scam?? lol. appreciate ur valuable input 
thank you!
@Cher Hey, Thanks!
I’m happy that my post is inspiring some Singaporeans to take the plunge!
Do also check out my other blog I wrote when I was in Guangzhou - http://Guangzhouer.com
I’ll also be happy to make friends introductions for any newcomer to GZ. Cheers!
@cara, er.. I think you can try calling and talking to them. They should be able to give you accomodation and promise you a work permit. And you should make at the very least RMB8000-10000 a month teaching English.
Hi,
Im a fresh grad from RMIT with a Bachelor in Business Marketing. How can i apply for a job in China of the related field? Are accomodations usually provided? Im really seeking to break off from the boring routine in Singapore. Please advise.
Hey Daniel,
There are basically 2 ways you can go about this:
1. seek employment in China. Try sites like http://www.newchinacareer.com, but you might not get the expat package if you seek one
2. get employed and posted by a company in Singapore. go for the ones who have specific branches/interest in China, like IE Singapore, banks, Chinese exports, English schools, Raffles La Salle, etc
Hope this helps!
Cheers,
Junde
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you don’t have to pay $70/++ to watch World Cup at home in China
brilliant. I hate that everything is more or less predictable in Singapore; or at least, if you don’t follow the mapped out path, you’ll be considered unsuccessful. I was interning in Shanghai last year and I would say that the Singaporean fresh grad wouldn’t quite have a competitive edge there… because it’s already filled with foreigners (many Caucasians even speak mandarin) and the PRCs are more or less bilingual. But having said that, I’m sure there are still cities that will have more opportunities for fresh Singaporean grads… do you have any suggestions?