China can ill-afford an exodus of expatriates
- Foreigners who endured three years of Covid-19 lockdowns are now leaving, blaming increasing wariness and even hostility towards them
Worrying stories emerged this week about foreigners who lived in mainland China, but decided to leave just as the nation tries to reopen after years of Covid-19 isolation. Their concerns must be heard and understood to better open doors to the international connections that have long helped the country thrive. The Post spoke to many current and former expatriate residents, including those who endured three years of strict pandemic controls before finally deciding to leave for good.
Concerns about a repeat of lockdown experiences weighed on some. Others said they felt increasing wariness and even hostility towards foreigners.
Such attitudes seem to have emerged against a backdrop of heightened tensions between China and the West and as the nation increasingly focuses on national security and countering perceived threats from foreign forces. Previously, there was an exodus of foreigners who had grown frustrated after years of severe restrictions and lockdowns during the pandemic. Shanghai, with its large international population, was particularly badly hit.
Foreigners who stayed during China’s Covid lockdowns are now leaving. Why?
The more recent departures come at a crucial time as the country tries to woo individuals and companies from abroad to help boost its economic recovery. In an attempt to step up international people-to-people exchanges, visa applications for visitors from the United States have been simplified and travellers with passports from France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysia are allowed to enter visa-free for up to 15 days.
Furthermore, there is a push to upgrade digital mobile payment options to simplify the use of international credit cards by those who arrive.
New guidelines are also in place to woo foreign investors with pledges of intellectual property rights protection and temporary tax exemptions if they reinvest their profits in the country.
Such moves should be welcomed, but authorities would be wise to heed the advice of businesspeople who have called for parallel efforts to address the “bigger picture issues” that have led some to pack their bags.
