I spend a lot of time pointing out various irritating and slightly disturbing short-comings in my host country and thought it only fair to point out some of the good things about this place because its not ALL bad.

To begin with laws and regulations be damned, ANYTHING is possible if you have the connections or cash to make it happen. Case in point my mother in law over stayed her visa and by law this carries a 500RMB a day fine with no maximum and deportation. I take a day off of work and venture down to my local police station and talk to the boys in blue. I have been friends with them since day one, I am NOT as stupid as I look . After some tea, conversation about my son and a few cigarettes the honcho tells me its no problem. He makes a phone call to a university friend of his and writes down the address of where I am to go to sort this out. I show up and they ask for the assorted documents, photos and the MIL's passport. A smile and "come back in a week". I show up one week later and it cost me 160 RMB total ($20 USD) for a new two month visa for her and NO fine.

Two years ago I and a friend from Alabama who was here for a visit witnessed some girls who appeared to be being taken away in a van against their will. We had been drinking and were both pretty decent sized boys and we set to playing the hero. Four Chinese in the hospital, two with fractured skulls, very nasty business and two Americans in custody. I had the PSB (Public Security Bureau) Chief's card and called him. I was tutoring his daughter in English on the weekend and he came at a run. We were released and heard nothing more of the matter. The Chief was pretty impressed and ended up having us teach him a bit of good ole boy street fighting cuz it turned out two of the Chinese in the hospital were his policemen. In this country its who you know.

The business evironment is no different... more to follow.

Originally Posted by bulldogg

To begin with laws and regulations be damned, ANYTHING is possible if you have the connections or cash to make it happen. Case in point my mother in law over stayed her visa and by law this carries a 500RMB a day fine with no maximum and deportation. I take a day off of work and venture down to my local police station and talk to the boys in blue. I have been friends with them since day one, I am NOT as stupid as I look . After some tea, conversation about my son and a few cigarettes the honcho tells me its no problem. He makes a phone call to a university friend of his and writes down the address of where I am to go to sort this out. I show up and they ask for the assorted documents, photos and the MIL's passport. A smile and "come back in a week". I show up one week later and it cost me 160 RMB total ($20 USD) for a new two month visa for her and NO fine.

That is pretty cool; a bit corrupted but nonetheless cool.

Originally Posted by bulldogg

Two years ago I and a friend from Alabama who was here for a visit witnessed some girls who appeared to be being taken away in a van against their will. We had been drinking and were both pretty decent sized boys and we set to playing the hero. Four Chinese in the hospital, two with fractured skulls, very nasty business and two Americans in custody. I had the PSB (Public Security Bureau) Chief's card and called him. I was tutoring his daughter in English on the weekend and he came at a run. We were released and heard nothing more of the matter. The Chief was pretty impressed and ended up having us teach him a bit of good ole boy street fighting cuz it turned out two of the Chinese in the hospital were his policemen. In this country its who you know.

The business evironment is no different... more to follow.

Wait wait, the police chief was glad his two boys were beat down?!! Kind of odd, but kind of hahaha in the same way.

Despite my adamant hatred for oppressive totalitarian regimes, my brief stay in China for my school's exchange program was really cool too; not to mention the multiple visits I make there with my family almost every summer ever since 1996. I'd agree with you 200% that money (especially USD) goes a long way there. You can buy almost anything (and I do mean anything) there if you have the right price. My most memorable memories of China would have to be my stay there as an exchange student. No one would believe the amount of mischief a group of 7 American college students could get into. Just about every single time, all we got off with was a brief cultural and language exchange of American-taught Chinese with native Chinese to fluent English with broken English with the local cops and a hearty handshake. Now those guys know how to play ball .

He wasn't happy but wanted to know how it went down as they all "practice" gong fu... honestly it was a simple matter of our mass being double theirs.

As for corrupt, hell yes but when in Rome you do as the Romans. NO business in China is successful without playing the game, its just the way it is. Some of them use proxies to do the dirty work so they have a little distance but its a specious distinction when it comes down to it.

Back home I am a law abiding citizen. Were I to behave that way here I and my clients would be dismal failures.

Weird country.

Originally Posted by bulldogg

Back home I am a law abiding citizen. Were I to behave that way here I and my clients would be dismal failures.

Hmm, I think I have to alter my views on you Bulldogg..... I never took you for a miscreant!

OK, at the risk of going off-on-topic. What was the deal with two police officers kidnapping young girls, or did I misunderstand?

The "girls" were part of the crew of prostitutes employed by a nearby bar. The policemen were at their off-duty job, a very common practice as they are paid less than any other public servant. The system not only encourages but expects corruption on the part of police officers in order for them to just pay their bills let alone get ahead in this jungle. The police here oftentimes are hired off duty to enforce the rules of certain people. As it was explained to us by the Chief the men were "taking them home after work and the girls were a little drunk and uncooperative".

Take it for what its worth, it's China.

As for business I love this place because I am living in history. This place functions exactly like the business environment of the US during the time of Teddy Roosevelt before the muckrakers and the reforms they helped to foment.

The fines for polluting a river are so low as to be less than 1/500th the cost of appending the factory to prevent it in the future. Air pollution? HA! That is the biggest *cough cough* joke throughout China but once again I am living in history. The air quality here is no worse than the industrial cities of Japan post WWII or Pittsburgh, PA during the late 40's when you could look at the sun at noon on a "clear" day in July for hours without hurting your eyes owing to the massive quantities of particulate pollution in the air. It is history but instead of reading it I get to see it first hand, that's just oh so exciting.

The other really cool thing here is that I am doing business with the whole world on neutral ground. I have worked or working for now people and companies from Dubai, Qatar, Oman, Iran, Syria, India, Nigeria, Italy, Australia, Russia, Ukraine and England. My mind has been expanded from the contact with these people and businesses and when I finish my time here I will have amassed a set of skills and knowledge of business in these places that will fit nicely onto my CV. Let alone getting to know about belief's and culture in a non-threatening environment, people open up more and are more forthcoming in their answers in this situation.

More to follow...

you witness, you drinking

the story was very impressive,

A quote is AN EXACT DUPLICATION of the words stated by the original author.

You got something to say don't beat around the bush, come out and say it.

If its easier for you to talk face to face my previous offer still stands. You can bring your friends if you're scared.

2bad, you are not the one i'd like to talk to.