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Just a question to the forum members who have spent time in all 3 areas. If you had a choice to settle down in one of the three, which one would you choose and why? Which area is easiest for a North American to settle and raise a family?
Any details as to why you would or would not settle in one of the three are greatly appreciated as well.
I wouldn't want to raise children in Shanghai, mostly due to limited rights, and extreme pollution. You can't access facebook or other things. Plus, I've known single people who've started businesses on the Mainland, and somehow had their businesses pulled out from under them by some non-transparent gov't policy, or local who manages to get control of it, etc. I wouldn't personally want to bring a family into that.
Settling down in Mainland China? Implying immigration?
Definetely hong kong........Shanghai likes to boast as a world class city but Hong Kong is miles ahead. Real Estate wise, Zhuhai is by far the least expensive.
I wouldn't want to raise children in Shanghai, mostly due to limited rights, and extreme pollution. You can't access facebook or other things. Plus, I've known single people who've started businesses on the Mainland, and somehow had their businesses pulled out from under them by some non-transparent gov't policy, or local who manages to get control of it, etc. I wouldn't personally want to bring a family into that.
Settling down in Mainland China? Implying immigration?
It is as I suspected. Hong Kong is the only one of the 3 I have spent considerable time in, so I was wondering if it seemed like the best fit only due to familiarity.
This would not be permanent relocation, but around a 3-5 year commitment.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bettafish
What's your career? That's a crucial factor.
Or you just have a lot of money and don't care about work?
I work in Healthcare Finance, so this is completely work related. I wish I was wealthy enough to just bum around
My company entered into an agreement with three separate health systems and have projects slated to kick off in all three cities. The Hong Kong project has an estimated completion date of 2018, The Zhuhai project 2018 and the Shanghai project 2017.
My wife is also a consideration. She is a lawyer who would not qualify to sit for the bar in either China nor Hong Kong (She could sit for the bar in HK within a year) but works for a firm that hires Legal advisors in Hong Kong and Shanghai and have a need for people who work in the Life Sciences division.
Quote:
Originally Posted by littlemissrock
Definetely hong kong........Shanghai likes to boast as a world class city but Hong Kong is miles ahead. Real Estate wise, Zhuhai is by far the least expensive.
Thank you. I hear people say this alot of Shanghai.
Zhuhai is cheaper and more quiet, and less international than HK, Macau, Shenzhen and Guangzhou. It will be connected by a long bridge across the mouth of the Pearl River Delta to HK in a few years time, the travel time between Central in HK and Zhuhai or Macau may still be 1 hour or more including immigration checks by vehicles using this bridge.
Zhuhai is cheaper and more quiet, and less international than HK, Macau, Shenzhen and Guangzhou. It will be connected by a long bridge across the mouth of the Pearl River Delta to HK in a few years time, the travel time between Central in HK and Zhuhai or Macau may still be 1 hour or more including immigration checks by vehicles using this bridge.
Thank you for this information. Would it be reasonable to live in HK and commute to Zhuhai twice a week for work related reasons? Specifically Hengqin.
Thank you for this information. Would it be reasonable to live in HK and commute to Zhuhai twice a week for work related reasons? Specifically Hengqin.
Since you are from Boston, you probably won't like the climate of south China.
For example, the average humidity of Hong Kong during June~August is consistently above 80% (Boston below 70%), and the average low is consistently 80 F (Atlanta around 70 F). Shanghai is no better.
If you think Boston does not have enough sunshine, south China is also worse.
Thank you for this information. Would it be reasonable to live in HK and commute to Zhuhai twice a week for work related reasons? Specifically Hengqin.
Hengqin/Zhuhai is adjacent to Macau. Macau has all of the same rights as Hong Kong. Plus if you are going to raise kids, there are also schools in English as well, in addition to Portuguese and Chinese schools.
It sounds like you have a job offered in Zhuhai? One of the plus sides to being in or near Macau or Hong Kong, is the quality of doctors and other issues goes ways up. HK moreso, as its so much larger, but Macau also has more western standards than Zhuhai. People I know that live or have lived in Zhuhai, usually talk about what a big fresh burst of fresh air it was to get into either HK or Macau even just for short periods of time, compared to being in Zhuhai 24-7. THAT BEING SAID, most people are way more happier being in Zhuhai than being in most other Chinese cities.
Regarding would it be reasonable to commute from HK to Zhuhai twice a week. Yes, very reasonable. There are ferries that regularly go from HK to Zhuhai, and HK to Macau, etc. Moreso between Macau to HK (one every 15-30 minutes throughout the entire day). A little bit less from HK to Zhuhai - I think its just one every few hours. Either ferry HK-Macau or HK-Zhuhai takes about 1 hour. If you were to consider something like that, I think you might as well cast the net a little further and just consider living in Macau, and commuting to Zhuhai for those two times a week. (Unless, of course, HK was the main workplace, then HK is best).
Since you are from Boston, you probably won't like the climate of south China.
For example, the average humidity of Hong Kong during June~August is consistently above 80% (Boston below 70%), and the average low is consistently 80 F (Atlanta around 70 F). Shanghai is no better.
If you think Boston does not have enough sunshine, south China is also worse.
But you won't deal with 7 feet of snow any more
I can handle a bit of humidity. I am originally from the Caribbean and have also lived in South and Central Florida. Not saying i love the humidity, but I love it alot more than I love snow.
The Sunshine issue may be a factor though. Something I do appreciate about Boston winters is that they do stay relatively sunny. Either way, its tough to enjoy the Sun when you cant even get out your front door due to mounds of snow.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tiger Beer
Hengqin/Zhuhai is adjacent to Macau. Macau has all of the same rights as Hong Kong. Plus if you are going to raise kids, there are also schools in English as well, in addition to Portuguese and Chinese schools.
It sounds like you have a job offered in Zhuhai? One of the plus sides to being in or near Macau or Hong Kong, is the quality of doctors and other issues goes ways up. HK moreso, as its so much larger, but Macau also has more western standards than Zhuhai. People I know that live or have lived in Zhuhai, usually talk about what a big fresh burst of fresh air it was to get into either HK or Macau even just for short periods of time, compared to being in Zhuhai 24-7. THAT BEING SAID, most people are way more happier being in Zhuhai than being in most other Chinese cities.
Regarding would it be reasonable to commute from HK to Zhuhai twice a week. Yes, very reasonable. There are ferries that regularly go from HK to Zhuhai, and HK to Macau, etc. Moreso between Macau to HK (one every 15-30 minutes throughout the entire day). A little bit less from HK to Zhuhai - I think its just one every few hours. Either ferry HK-Macau or HK-Zhuhai takes about 1 hour. If you were to consider something like that, I think you might as well cast the net a little further and just consider living in Macau, and commuting to Zhuhai for those two times a week. (Unless, of course, HK was the main workplace, then HK is best).
Tiger Beer, thanks once again for the awesome info. Admittedly Macao was never on my radar, but it is an interesting prospect. The issue is that I have no idea how the transition would be for my wife professionally. As I mentioned her firm has offices in HK and Shanghai. The HK branch is actively pursuing Legal Advisors, so it would be the easiest transition. I do love the prospect of Portuguese schools as my daughter speaks Spanish along with myself and my wife to a lesser degree.
I would be working on projects in HK, Zhuhai and Shanghai, with Zhuhai being the longest term project and the one I would need to spend the most time focusing on. So in other words, HK would be a once a month in person visit, Shanghai the same, but Zhuhai twice a week.
Do people live in Macau and work in HK? And if so, is the commute miserable or manageable? Which neighborhoods would you recommend looking into in Macau? For good Portuguese or English schools along with a walkable Urban lifestyle?
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