Chinese Perception of Foreign Unfairness
I went to a business networking meeting yesterday. We were expecting investors there, but the two that came were interested in start-ups that handle green technology, and while I am interested, I have neither the passion nor the expertise to handle that.
I got to know also an official from 江苏吴江 Jiangsu Wujiang city and CC the Taiwanese marketing director of Kai-En. The latter spoke perfect English (having lived overseas as a boy), and guessed straight away that I am Singaporean. A banker GW who was chatting with us did not believe him – he had lived in Singapore for many years, and he claimed that my accent is not a Singaporean accent. CC’s experience with Singaporeans was in the UK, so it may have coloured his perception of Singaporeans, I guess.
As the evening moved on, however, the guys moved away, and I ended up with three Chinese girls chatting with me in good English, two university students (one of them very cute!) and one sales lady. Yes, we could communicate, which to me is again a sign that China is moving on, and Singapore had better beware or we would have no place to stand in the world in future.
The conversation steered to how unfair it is that foreigners get special privileges and higher salaries in China. The sales lady pointed out that international schools and the international church services only allow foreigners and not Chinese. I pointed out that we would absolutely love to have the Chinese join us (the school for the business and the church services for the sharing of our faith), but it is actually the Chinese government that does not allow us to do so. The licence will be taken away, and the church services suspended, if we were found to be in breach of the regulations.
She then pointed out how the same job would be taken by a foreigner with a higher salary than a local. I could not help but laugh when she said that, and gave her a lesson on management economics. From a business owner’s perspective, if the post can be filled competently by a Chinese with RMB10k, why would he want to hire a foreigner with RMB100k to fill the post? When one counts dollar and cents, the former will always be more worth it. Unless the company is not interested in maximising its investment dollars, the competent Chinese will always be preferred.
I gave her another lesson again on basic economics, that of supply and demand. If a job for a Chinese teacher is advertised for RMB5k, I may get tons of applicants for it. The sheer supply of teachers pushes down salaries. On the other hand, if a job for a teacher who knows the Singaporean syllabus well is advertised, guess how many applicants will we get? A handful. And hence scarcity (another basic economics concept) comes in play, and salary will go up. There is a reason why CEOs of big corporations in the States get such ridiculous salaries.
I suppose by then the two university students were really enthralled! And so the teacher in me gave them advice to network with others besides me, and pointed them towards the two investors of start-ups, so that they can learn more about starting businesses.
I left at 2100h and got a cab only at 2200h, after walking at least 10 blocks. Shanghai cabs are notoriously difficult to get in the city, and the night was no exception. It really makes me wish I have a car and driver. I trust that, if it is truly His will, the Lord will remember me this desire.
I got to know also an official from 江苏吴江 Jiangsu Wujiang city and CC the Taiwanese marketing director of Kai-En. The latter spoke perfect English (having lived overseas as a boy), and guessed straight away that I am Singaporean. A banker GW who was chatting with us did not believe him – he had lived in Singapore for many years, and he claimed that my accent is not a Singaporean accent. CC’s experience with Singaporeans was in the UK, so it may have coloured his perception of Singaporeans, I guess.
As the evening moved on, however, the guys moved away, and I ended up with three Chinese girls chatting with me in good English, two university students (one of them very cute!) and one sales lady. Yes, we could communicate, which to me is again a sign that China is moving on, and Singapore had better beware or we would have no place to stand in the world in future.
The conversation steered to how unfair it is that foreigners get special privileges and higher salaries in China. The sales lady pointed out that international schools and the international church services only allow foreigners and not Chinese. I pointed out that we would absolutely love to have the Chinese join us (the school for the business and the church services for the sharing of our faith), but it is actually the Chinese government that does not allow us to do so. The licence will be taken away, and the church services suspended, if we were found to be in breach of the regulations.
She then pointed out how the same job would be taken by a foreigner with a higher salary than a local. I could not help but laugh when she said that, and gave her a lesson on management economics. From a business owner’s perspective, if the post can be filled competently by a Chinese with RMB10k, why would he want to hire a foreigner with RMB100k to fill the post? When one counts dollar and cents, the former will always be more worth it. Unless the company is not interested in maximising its investment dollars, the competent Chinese will always be preferred.
I gave her another lesson again on basic economics, that of supply and demand. If a job for a Chinese teacher is advertised for RMB5k, I may get tons of applicants for it. The sheer supply of teachers pushes down salaries. On the other hand, if a job for a teacher who knows the Singaporean syllabus well is advertised, guess how many applicants will we get? A handful. And hence scarcity (another basic economics concept) comes in play, and salary will go up. There is a reason why CEOs of big corporations in the States get such ridiculous salaries.
I suppose by then the two university students were really enthralled! And so the teacher in me gave them advice to network with others besides me, and pointed them towards the two investors of start-ups, so that they can learn more about starting businesses.
I left at 2100h and got a cab only at 2200h, after walking at least 10 blocks. Shanghai cabs are notoriously difficult to get in the city, and the night was no exception. It really makes me wish I have a car and driver. I trust that, if it is truly His will, the Lord will remember me this desire.
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