When China first announced a new visa targeting foreign professionals in science and technology in August it largely went unnoticed.
But the K visa, which went into effect on Wednesday, was thrust into the public spotlight last week, when an Indian outlet referred to it as “China’s H-1B” - a reference to the US visa for skilled workers which was, last month, targeted by an executive order by Donald Trump. Indians dominate the H-1B programme, making up more than 70% of the recipients in recent years.
The Indian media report was picked up widely in China, stoking concern - and even fears - amongst the public over whether benefits extended to foreigners would increase competition in a sluggish job market - and in a country that has traditionally not been a major immigration destination for foreign professionals.
And although it is still unclear whether the visa will actually allow foreigners to work in China or whether it just allows them easier access into the country, it didn’t stop tens of thousands of users on Chinese social media from criticising the programme.
“We have so many bachelor’s degree holders, not to mention even more with master’s and doctoral degrees. We already have a surplus of domestic talent - and now you’re bringing in foreign college graduates?” read one comment.
“There have been so many new programmes pushing our university students to compete with each other, but in the end, nothing beats a foreign passport,” another Weibo user wrote.
[…]
Others talked about whether authorities could bring in a high standard of talent, and questioned whether foreigners would be able to adapt to life on the mainland, citing language barriers and China’s tightly controlled political system.
Also among the comments were a wave of xenophobic and racist remarks - many of them targeted specifically at Indian nationals.
[…]
Genius strategy trying to pick up all the tech workers leaving the US
Yeah, they’re totally going to China where they don’t speak the language and have no human rights protections.
Enough people voluntarily move to the hell hole that is Dubai, why not China?
Russian made that town for all the American expats that wanted to move over there. The whole place is in English and your neighbors are other expats. China might plan something like that for the tech workers. That way there is a work around for the language.
I can’t help with the human rights protections.
They totally going there if the money is right. The biggest misconception about china is they have no human right protection, which is half true because they always treat outsider with respect but their citizen shitty. Language barrier can easily be solved.
The biggest misconception about china is they have no human right protection, which is half true because they always treat outsider with respect but their citizen shitty.
You have never been in China except maybe as a tourist. Even a quick search on the web would tell you how they treat ‘outsiders’ as you call them, let alone about the human rights situation.
And you have never been a western expat in China, Dubai, Russia, and a number of other countries with questionable human rights. These foreigners will most likely live in gates communities among themselves, and limited contact to locals.
Are you Chinese?
What are you implying?
You will always find locals that aren’t happy.
You can always count on empire media to give a negative spin to any China news.
And you can always count on tankies from .ml to reflexively jump to the defense of one of their favorite hyper-authoritarian governments.
Nice projection you got going there
Not really, no. Not a big fan of the authoritarian governments of the US and the UK myself 🤷
What do you mean “negative spin”? Those are people unhappy with a decision their government made. And their concerns are valid, too. Stuff like this happens all the time around the world. It should be talked about.
I wouldn’t have read it that way at all if it weren’t for you immediately crying about it. Try not to be upset about things that aren’t 100% positive about your favourite club.
“Chinese people not happy with windmills ruining their view!”
There you go. Everything has a downside. The BCC decided to make the downside the headline. Which means they agree with Trump who scared off foreign talent.
Try not to be 100% positive about empire news.
You might not have noticed it, but the BBC is intentionally taking a negative angle to something which has both upsides and downsides. So much for their neutral reporting.
I give up. What a child.
Concede with an adhominem. So mature.
That is true, you need one empire media to cancel out the bias of another empire media.
Whataboutism. No arguments only cope here.
Not like your original comment have any argument anyway, you’re just flamebaiting ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
The BCC decided to make the downside the headline. Which means they agree with Trump who scared off foreign talent.
No. The BBC decided to report that Chinese people are unsatisfied with their government’s decision and the government doesn’t care. Vews contrary to The Party are being censored as usual.
Actual headline: China is recruiting the tech worker who were refused their H1B visas by Trump.
