Should I Cancel My Trip to China and Hong Kong in October?

[globe-trotter]

In your opinion, how has the culture of Hong Kong changed since the British left?

I am by no means an expert in HK, but according to locals, the politics of HK is increasingly screwed up due to the Chinese government.

Also, there has been a huge brain drain from HK since the time the British gave it over to China, and the population growth from mainland Chinese people has made a bad situation almost intolerable in terms of overcrowding, prices, and the culture clash with mainlanders.

Hong kongers May look like Chinese people but they HATE them. One Uber driver showed me popular YouTube videos of Chinese people’s behavior in HK.

Example:

Thanks. Hope this kind of thing isn't pervasive throughout Hong Kong.

[xiongmao]

China IS a lot more totalitarian these days. When I went in 2009 Google still worked, although it wasn't that reliable.

However it's doesn't really affect your average foreigner. The people who need to be wary are those working on shady visas, and anyone with a dual Chinese nationality passport.

Censorship sucks - we've just lost Bing for example. The day that VPNs stop working is the day I quit - I am VERY firm on that. There's a good chance it will happen this year, due to there being so many sensitive anniveraries this year.

In the medium term I expect the paper tiger will collapse.

[tom]

The Chinese economic model is based on overbuilding, subsidization, product dumping, lack of reciprocity and intellectual property theft. Trump is dead serious about stopping this and China's military push. The mass exodus of foreigners from China is real. I keep hearing different stories about people getting squeezed. If you want to build a life in China, not the best idea at this time, go elsewhere. If you want to see the Great Wall on a tour, probably no problem.



China has tremendous internal issues like the after effects China's lost generation, the heavy boozing and smoking and other strange issue.



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[CannedHam]

The Chinese economic model is based on overbuilding, subsidization, product dumping, lack of reciprocity and intellectual property theft. Trump is dead serious about stopping this and China's military push. The mass exodus of foreigners from China is real. I keep hearing different stories about people getting squeezed. If you want to build a life in China, not the best idea at this time, go elsewhere. If you want to see the Great Wall on a tour, probably no problem.



China has tremendous internal issues like the after effects China's lost generation, the heavy boozing and smoking and other strange issue.



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Agree 100% - the current Chinese regime has set China back a good 10-20 years IMO. And it has f***ed HK. And is starting to f**k Taiwan. The glory days of being a foreigner in mainland China are long gone. Doesn't mean one can't enjoy a 1-2 year stint in the mainland but building a life and future is completely out of the question. I have spent time in the mainland, am married to a mainland woman (although living in the US currently), and would eventually like to split time between the US - mainland (or HK) - SE Asia after retiring.

Instead of embracing foreigners that can contribute to China's growth and success, they are starting to alienate them.

Doesn't affect OP taking a short trip to China IMO.