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Not about the migrant workers working there from poorer areas, but locals of these wealthier regions of Mainland China
Beijing, Tianjin, Yantze River Delta including Shanghai, South Jiangsu and North Zhejiang, the area around Guangzhou(becomes less wealthier in statistics in recent years compared with some coastal areas to the north of it)
I've actually been to both Beijing and Tianjin, and went on a boat cruise of the Yangtze from Chongqing to Yichang. Not speaking Mandarin, though, my interaction/experience with the locals was kind of limited.
Richer, middle to upper class, very few do low-paid unskilled jobs, more educated, more familiar with foreigners, better english level, have more leisure time, more hobbies, dress nicely, love famous foreign brands...
Anything else?
Beijing, Tianjin, Yantze River Delta including Shanghai, South Jiangsu and North Zhejiang, the area around Guangzhou(becomes less wealthier in statistics in recent years compared with some coastal areas to the north of it)
Richer, middle to upper class, very few do low-paid unskilled jobs, more educated, more familiar with foreigners, better english level, have more leisure time, more hobbies, dress nicely, love famous foreign brands...
Anything else?
Beijing, Tianjin, Yantze River Delta including Shanghai, South Jiangsu and North Zhejiang, the area around Guangzhou(becomes less wealthier in statistics in recent years compared with some coastal areas to the north of it)
I have quite a bit of experience from Tianjin. Tianjin is one of the richest cities in China, and their housing quality is better than Beijing. They are richer than most of China, their English level is still terrible so better speak mandarin to them, most people do unskilled labor but there are more high skilled jobs.
Yes, they are more familiar with foreigners, but still not very familiar. Kids will still point at me and say laowai. They have less leisure time, and I am not sure about hobbies.
Most of Tianjin ain't pretty, it's smoggy and grey, but what does set it apart is the foreign/colonial quarter, with lots of old grand buildings from the various colonial powers who were based in Tianjin.
I haven't been to the north of China, but according to my knowledge, South cities like Guangzhou and Shenzhen are also wealthy cities in China, and here you will also meet lots of people in high level English.
Tianjin has not really been a tier 1 city till recently.
Most Chinese people (including myself) have never been there and do not have the desire to go there.
It does not even show up a lot in Chinese media. People are more aware of, say, Chongqing than Tianjin.
Not about the migrant workers working there from poorer areas, but locals of these wealthier regions of Mainland China
Beijing, Tianjin, Yantze River Delta including Shanghai, South Jiangsu and North Zhejiang, the area around Guangzhou(becomes less wealthier in statistics in recent years compared with some coastal areas to the north of it)
I've been to Tianjin and Beijing....and Shanghai....and now near Guangzhou.
The wealth....hmm....it isn't bringing sophistication. Most of those cities might have wealth, but the people don't come across that way in their character. You'll also see PLENTY of poor people around. Lots of guys with their shirts off, or their shirts pulled up so they are belly is hanging out. You'll see that type of stuff everywhere.
I was just near a Guangzhou guy the other day, who sent his son over to practice English on me, while I was eating dinner. When his son went back to his table, his Dad kept telling him more (dumb and irritating) questions that his son could have asked me. Don't know about you, but when I eat dinner with my wife and kids, I'm not all that interested in nodding my head for an hour during dinner, just because some wealthy mainland Chinese guy wants to impress his family or other people in the restaurant.
I think both of those two examples basically sums up the Mainland China daily experience.
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