tensalores

When you go to China (or any foreign country in general), it really depends on whether or not you step outside the expat bubble.

Those that don't often have a very skewed viewpoint compared to those who do.

It would be like judging the entire US based on living in Silicon Valley your entire life.

I've also traveled to tons of cities in China and what I found is that many expats and local Chinese that hang around the expat bubble have a similar "doom and gloom" viewpoint.

Whereas when I started to hang around local, blue collar Chinese workers (who don't speak English or hang around expats at all), their outlooks were extremely optimistic about China's future.

It makes me wonder if this is more of a class issue. The poorer, blue collar workers will start to prosper more, but the upper-middle class will start to face difficulties.

I would also add that all my Chinese friends that stayed in China are wealthier than those that left. And of those that left, many are returning to China. But again, these are all people that are outside the expat bubble so perhaps their viewpoints would be different.