China as a retirement base

[elvintay07]

I used to stay in China about 6 years ago and just returned to SG during the covid pandemic. China has been an interesting country where

(1) is big and lots of places to go
(2) cheap food, housing, standard of living
(3) nice people
(4) good healthcare
(5) most places have no big disaster

Lately just flew back to Chengdu. I think life is good and cpf and sgd can stretch to exchange rate of 1:5. Hehe! Anyone has any thoughts of retiring in China?

 

[sbl2560]

I used to stay in China about 6 years ago and just returned to SG during the covid pandemic. China has been an interesting country where

(1) is big and lots of places to go
(2) cheap food, housing, standard of living
(3) nice people
(4) good healthcare
(5) most places have no big disaster

Lately just flew back to Chengdu. I think life is good and cpf and sgd can stretch to exchange rate of 1:5. Hehe! Anyone has any thoughts of retiring in China?

As a tourist, need to take deep breath and avoid the smokers. Worst is the smoking in restaurants, despite No Smoking signs were visible.

Also unable to tolerate, spitting. Especially at Hainan, when the 槟榔 hit the floor with tiles, it stains.

Just visit as a tourist, IMHO.

 

[16/8IF]

I used to stay in China about 6 years ago and just returned to SG during the covid pandemic. China has been an interesting country where

(1) is big and lots of places to go
(2) cheap food, housing, standard of living
(3) nice people
(4) good healthcare
(5) most places have no big disaster

Lately just flew back to Chengdu. I think life is good and cpf and sgd can stretch to exchange rate of 1:5. Hehe! Anyone has any thoughts of retiring in China?

There is no long term visa ?

 

[elvintay07]

As a tourist, need to take deep breath and avoid the smokers. Worst is the smoking in restaurants, despite No Smoking signs were visible.

Also unable to tolerate, spitting. Especially at Hainan, when the 槟榔 hit the floor with tiles, it stains.

Just visit as a tourist, IMHO.

Spitting is a problem. I saw someone split into the lake of Jiuzhaigou

 

[froztheart]

As a tourist, need to take deep breath and avoid the smokers. Worst is the smoking in restaurants, despite No Smoking signs were visible.

Also unable to tolerate, spitting. Especially at Hainan, when the 槟榔 hit the floor with tiles, it stains.

Just visit as a tourist, IMHO.

The smoking issue is improving as the younger generation is more educated from what I observe.
Though yes, some do still smoke even at the HSR platforms etc. too which is annyoing.

 

[beanstalk6]

There is a world of difference after COVID-19. Then I might have considered retirement in the south, now there is no way I am going to retire full time there. Now many people there are trying to get out, when gross injustices are perpetuated on a daily basis. Ordinary people are disgruntled to the point of despair. The medical system is broken and corrupt. Food safety is a persistent problem. Even the water supply has issues.

You can argue that as a tourist, one is not exposed to these deep-seated problems. Being a foreigner can in fact carry privilege. I disagree because, as the economy there spirals downwards, even short-term visitors are already facing the risks they have not discovered. I would rather stay home or pick Thailand or Malaysia, where at least I know there are ways to seek redress, and the rule of law is for real. Nevermind the scenery and the generally low cost of living., I am only going to make short visits at low profile.

This is my personal opinion.

 

[dilphinus]

Hate living in China. So much that once we leave China for good, I don't even want to come back for holidays.

 

[dilphinus]

I used to stay in China about 6 years ago and just returned to SG during the covid pandemic. China has been an interesting country where

(1) is big and lots of places to go
(2) cheap food, housing, standard of living
(3) nice people
(4) good healthcare
(5) most places have no big disaster

Lately just flew back to Chengdu. I think life is good and cpf and sgd can stretch to exchange rate of 1:5. Hehe! Anyone has any thoughts of retiring in China?

Don't understand how there are nice people when people are spitting, littering, pushing/shoving, cutting queues, defecating in public, etc. How are these behavior 'nice' to begin with?

Good healthcare? Have you been to the local hospital(s)?

Standard of living? What about the standard of living? There is no quality of standard of living unless you are rich and have money to throw. And what about housing? Housing is expensive though in abundance in China.

I have been in and out of China for more than a decade and living in China for a year and a half now. Those sick behaviors some 10 years ago are still very much prevalent today.

I have seen China people spitting in Norway (and of cos everywhere else around the world) and most recently damn disgustingly, on board a flight.

 

[elvintay07]

Don't understand how there are nice people when people are spitting, littering, pushing/shoving, cutting queues, defecating in public, etc. How are these behavior 'nice' to begin with?

Good healthcare? Have you been to the local hospital(s)?

Standard of living? What about the standard of living? There is no quality of standard of living unless you are rich and have money to throw. And what about housing? Housing is expensive though in abundance in China.

I have been in and out of China for more than a decade and living in China for a year and a half now. Those sick behaviors some 10 years ago are still very much prevalent today.

I have seen China people spitting in Norway (and of cos everywhere else around the world) and most recently damn disgustingly, on board a flight.

I lived in Shanghai and Beijing for 5 years before coming back to SG. I know the government officials, some entrepreneurs etc….

(1) Yes. Agree that many of their citizen spit. So far I still find it ok
(2) Typcially the group I interact with all very nice. Ladies are chio and no difference from SG ladies the way they groom themselves.
(3) Healthcare and hospital no problem for me as I know some hospital leadership, specialists and doctors. Some of them F chio.

But only Shanghai, Beijing. Once go Chengdu, Suzhou then gone ****. But I think still not bad their healthcare because XJP etc also received treatment in China. So their standard cannot be lousy.

But yes, if you go jiuzhaigou, Suzhou, Hangzhou tourist area will surely meet some clowns who are very rowdy etc

 

[beanstalk6]

Surely you must know that they are at each other's throats in school, business and daily life, in a phenomenon called "involution" (nei4juan3)? Maybe this does not affect you when you are leading a retirement life, but it goes into what you eat and services you consume because that kind of mutual-harm (hu4hai4) results in cutting costs (and safety) when it comes to your food and safety. The leadership in that merry gang does get better medical care and higher-quality lives because they have a dedicated system (te4gong4) that provides them and their class with specially grown, tested, and bio-safe food. Above all, they enjoy a free and dedicated medical system entirely separated from the peasant classes!

 

[dilphinus]

I lived in Shanghai and Beijing for 5 years before coming back to SG. I know the government officials, some entrepreneurs etc….

(1) Yes. Agree that many of their citizen spit. So far I still find it ok
(2) Typcially the group I interact with all very nice. Ladies are chio and no difference from SG ladies the way they groom themselves.
(3) Healthcare and hospital no problem for me as I know some hospital leadership, specialists and doctors. Some of them F chio.

But only Shanghai, Beijing. Once go Chengdu, Suzhou then gone ****. But I think still not bad their healthcare because XJP etc also received treatment in China. So their standard cannot be lousy.

But yes, if you go jiuzhaigou, Suzhou, Hangzhou tourist area will surely meet some clowns who are very rowdy etc

What has knowing specialists, leaders, etc gotta do with the standard of the healthcare. Have you stepped inside a hospital for treatment or rto see a doctor, or to get a test done, etc? My cousins were working in China and will return to Singapore to visit the doctor(s). You aren't aware that the doctors in China love to put patients on IV drips for just about everything?

My personal experience. Real life experience. I went to do an ultrasound in a hospital in Beijing. They asked me in and to take off my pants/underwear just before the previous patient can pull up her underwear/pants, 2 machines with 2 patients and 2 sonographers + 2 other patients who were just done or waiting for their turn, This is the standard in China.

Also no patient privacy/confidentiality. There are two doctors in a room. Both seeing patients at the same time. And any other patient can walk in and out of the room as well while the doctors are seeing the patients. Yup, your good standard of health care.


Don't get me started on the hospital where Zhou Haimei died in. My husband's (ex) colleagues went to that same hospital. One died from an elective surgery and one lost the use of his hand.

My husband was diagnosed with diabetes without a blood test in a hospital in China. That was during covid. He couldn't leave the country. He usually gets his checks done in Taiwan or in Australia.

I have tons of stories from just one and a half year of living in China.

You are talking about good healthcare then talking about chio health professionals. What's the link with that to good standard of healthcare. And then nice ladies who are chio. It just seems that whatever you have said is rubbish. Totally lost credibility in whatever you have said and will say.

 

[elvintay07]

Did you check hospital ranking first? China got 100,000 hospitals so need to check

But noted your points on how lousy they are so KIV my retirement in China. Maybe LPPL need to retire in Singapore

 

[16/8IF]

let me share my own personal experience after being based in China from 2005-2016.

Indeed the first thing the doctor will put the patient on an IV drips even from a simple flu or anything Vs SG which is Panadol.
Infact the patient needs to be alerted to "shout' for the nurses once your drips is about to be completed.


No Privacy - yes other patients tends to come in to the room to ask the doctor various questions even while he is attending to your case.

Overall I had a good experience , I been to Government Hospitals, Community Hospital ( which was just outside the Condo).

For blood test, I get my results on the spot compared to SG' clinic where I have to wait for 3-4 days. ( usual glucose, lipids etc).

What I find useful was I could buy prescription medication from any Medical shops/ pharmacy without any letter from the doctor etc. ( I bought the same foreign brand but made in China so it was much cheaper compared to SG).

I was based in a second tier city in Southern Guangdong Province which is about an hour to Hong Kong and about 10 minutes to Macau, not once did I have to go to either places for medical purposes.

For Smoking issue, yes during the first 5 years, plenty of it since most of my China's friends were heavy smokers but after that most of them cut down or give up smoking completely. Every year I still fly back to stay and visit my friends for 30-45 days and it seems for the city I am in less of a smoking and spitting issue maybe because I don't go to those tourist sites .

For retirement purpose think one need to find a city that does not have so many people and yet have the kind of facilities that you think you would need. ( in almost anything there are tradeoff to be made ? ).

I might try do go for a health screening package this coming trip if I find some time, of course the pricing is much cheaper than SG .

Lastly would I consider retirement in this city- yes but unfortunately my wife is not keen and there is no long term visa to apply to , although i could do visa run since HK and Macau are just next door but it is troublesome and you need to do temporarily resident permit at the police station each time you go out and come back.

Above is just my personal experience, yours might be different since China is a vast area with different people from different province and cities .

Ps. Over that period of time I only had 1 time where I had food problem from eating from a roadside stall. ( after that mostly I cook myself and or at restaurant .

 

[elvintay07]

Thanks bro

My personal experience in Shanghai and Beijing is good.

(1) Hospital and healthcare is not a problem because some of my friends know the hospital directors and 1 phone call from their PA will have the HOD/ Deputy waiting for your arrival.

(2) Shanghai and Beijing still have those rowdy ppl but lesser. But I agree it is a problem because can just try their domestic airlines and high speed rail then can kana stampade

(3) When I was there years ago, I am still single and accidentally had flings with some of the business heads there. lol! Their PA basically take care of my everything from transport, to accommodation, to cleaning, grocery shopping etc. Machiam feels like gigolo

(4) Shopping in China is easy. Can even get a husky delivered to our doorstep. Want to buy exotic fish, tortoise also no problem.

(5) Yes. The visa is a problem

Retirement time vs now is quite different. Now we are like in that career stage where many of our friends or associates are in good career progression. When we retire, probably cannot get the same kind of perks. That is why last time my boss said “good relationship” are extremely crucial in China. China is not Singapore so we can’t use the traditional approach like walk in to public hospital. It will probably scare the hell out of you. One of my ex is a Chinese doctor. When I went to her hospital in China to wait for her, the crowd was crazy and machiam like Singapore wet market. She told me she takes 2 min to see a case. I think you do that in Singapore, you probably get fired. But no choice because if you don’t do that, probably cannot even finish seeing patients if you work 10-15 hours a day

For hospital standards, I believe the top tier hospitals (Beijing, West China, Fudan, Ruijin, Zhongshan) is even more equipped than Singapore hospital. The doctor standard then cannot tell already but I believe also got top surgeons in China la. Else politician like got emergency cannot be fly to Singapore or US. I am sure Pui Kim North Korea got some top medical experts

 

[qhong61]

I used to stay in China about 6 years ago and just returned to SG during the covid pandemic. China has been an interesting country where

(1) is big and lots of places to go
(2) cheap food, housing, standard of living
(3) nice people
(4) good healthcare
(5) most places have no big disaster

Lately just flew back to Chengdu. I think life is good and cpf and sgd can stretch to exchange rate of 1:5. Hehe! Anyone has any thoughts of retiring in China?

Thot got age limit

 

[elvintay07]

Thot got age limit

Age limit means can’t get visa? Got 1 bro said can in/out Macau and HK. But if you are at Beijing then not easy. Shenzhen, Guangzhou very easy

Got another way around is the APEC business card. This one allows you to stay for more than 30 days. But retire already not easy to apply. So best to apply now and keep till retirement. But no use if your spouse don’t have

 

[qhong61]

Age limit means can’t get visa? Got 1 bro said can in/out Macau and HK. But if you are at Beijing then not easy. Shenzhen, Guangzhou very easy

Got another way around is the APEC business card. This one allows you to stay for more than 30 days. But retire already not easy to apply. So best to apply now and keep till retirement. But no use if your spouse don’t have

The business card valid till whole life?

 

[MrRacer]

The business card valid till whole life?

Nope, renewable every 5 years. If you change passport also need to change.

 

[MrRacer]

I'm not sure if you want to do re-entry at every 30 days for visa run, eventually you will run into trouble.

Best is to get a long term tourist visa that you can pay fee to extend, alternatatively if you chinese spouse you can get S1/S2 long term visitor pass.

Alternatively you can do some part time consulting to perform some work.

For me if I got a chinese partner I might alternate between Singapore and China but wouldn't stay there for like full retirement.

 

[beanstalk6]

There is a form of identity known as the Overseas Chinese Identification 华侨证, which I once considered as a less painful method for me to obtain a Chinese driving license. I have dropped the idea. If you can live with its T&Cs and other underlying implications, you can look it up to see if it really gives you a long-term stay permit.