Western expats in China a dwindling breed

 Western foreigners working in China have always been hard to spot even in Beijing and Shanghai where most are based. They are now much harder to find! A recent report by the Beijing International Talent Exchange Association shows a sharp decline in Beijing and an even more rapid one in Shanghai. (200,000 in 2018 down to 72000 in 2024 according to a local think tank.)  

There are several reasons why China is less attractive to foreign workers.

The increased antagonism between China and the US (and other nations to a lesser extent) creates unease for those looking to work and reside in China.  Australia, for example, has had intense recent standoffs, though economic considerations have prevented this escalating further.  Some Australian businesses have moved their manufacturing centres out of China and the total number of Australians living in Mainland China has decreased markedly.
Reports of occasional aggression towards foreigners has increased anxiety.  
Cost, education options and air quality are often cited as reasons to go elsewhere.

More importantly Western businesses have started to move away from strategies that focused on lowering costs as much as possible and putting all their eggs in the China basket.

At the same time, China itself has become a more competitive place to do business. It is no longer the goose that lays golden eggs, generating easy profits for Western firms. This is seen in sectors from cars to finance.

Expats remain an important group for China and the PRC is now encouraging more to return after the mass exodus during and post Covid.

Expats, they believe, help to drive innovative thinking in the country. And losing the benefits that expats from the West bring to China will further erode the mutual understanding between them in business and society.

Expats Christians, however, are not being encouraged to return!  In fact, newly revised regulations make it almost impossible for foreign Christians to have any presence in China and Christian missionaries are persona non grata!

Prayer points

Thank God for the opportunity and privilege foreign missionaries have had to play a significant role in the spread of Christianity in China. 

Pray that the current official openness to foreigners to live and work in China will afford opportunity for Christians to again have fellowship with believers and to encourage the local church.

Pray that foreigners living in China will help to mend some of the misunderstanding brought about by official policy and affirm that whilst we are different we all have ultimate commonality (though most do not know it) in that we are God’s creation.