The China Thread

[Read_Lives_of_Saints]

Agreed, they might raise their prices eventually, but we don't really have much information besides what is shown in the video.

These videos of whites who don't read or speak Chinese with these prices are without credibility on their collective face. The Guangzhou video I posted of the 30 RMB dish is enough to raise serious questions about the disparity.

The video of the Aussies in China then back in Oz is not apples to apples and has little relevance to the question of how those other meals were apparently priced so low. The question is about different meals in China, so bringing in another country is completely separate. How can you not see this?

I was aware of the rise in manufacturing labor costs, but it was not 8x for factory jobs like shoes and clothes. Also, manufacturing is only one category so it is not an overall 10x increase in salaries, which is an absurd suggestion that you made.

 

[RedLagoon]

Agreed, they might raise their prices eventually, but we don't really have much information besides what is shown in the video.

That shows you why car and motorcycle manufacturers moved their manufacturing to Thailand and India and now back to Japan again.

 

[Cooper]

These videos of whites who don't read or speak Chinese with these prices are without credibility on their collective face. The Guangzhou video I posted of the 30 RMB dish is enough to raise serious questions about the disparity.

The video of the Aussies in China then back in Oz is not apples to apples and has little relevance to the question of how those other meals were apparently priced so low. The question is about different meals in China, so bringing in another country is completely separate. How can you not see this?

That vlogger "Blondie in China" speaks fluent Mandarin, she has been travelling in China and eating at literally hundreds of establishments there across China for 10 years, and is a good character who loves her parents and is married to a German guy, not someone who isn't proud of her European heritage or someone who would cheat her large audience. I think she can read a restaurant bill in China.

The side by side comparison of the similar meal at the same chain restaurant in two different countries is highly relevant here for comparing relative food costs between countries, similar to the Big Mac Index, widely used by economists as a measure of relative food costs across countries. That is precisely what this conversation is about.

I was aware of the rise in manufacturing labor costs, but it was not 8x for factory jobs like shoes and clothes. Also, manufacturing is only one category so it is not an overall 10x increase in salaries, which is an absurd suggestion that you made.

That is an average manufacturing salary, which is an average, a blend of low and high end manufacturing.

This back and forth and nitpicking here is becoming a bit tedious frankly.

 

[Eagle3]

Dude, the more you spout your ChatGPT generated CCP woomao propaganda, the more people doubt your words about what is really happening in China.

 

[Australia Sucks]

They do in the initial stages of an industry when they are competing for market share, as is the case in the Chinese EV industry for example. Pringles chips, a P&G product, took decades before it became profitable.

What also helps create this situation in China is that the cost of capital is low, as well as the cost of inputs like energy, raw materials, buildings etc.

That is a terrible example. Procter and Gamble is and was a super profitable company overall. Its common for profitable companies to cross subsidize losing subsidiaries/product lines. That is a very different thing to the whole company losing money for years on end. And Teslas self driving/AI on the new upcoming models is light years ahead of anything China produces. Tesla will crush Chinese car makers in the next 10 years.

 

[Cooper]

That is a terrible example. Procter and Gamble is and was a super profitable company overall. Its common for profitable companies to cross subsidize losing subsidiaries/product lines. That is a very different thing to the whole company losing money for years on end. And Teslas self driving/AI on the new upcoming models is light years ahead of anything China produces. Tesla will crush Chinese car makers in the next 10 years.

Ford's CEO would strongly disagree with you about the prospects of Chinese EVs.

Dude, the more you spout your ChatGPT generated CCP woomao propaganda, the more people doubt your words about what is really happening in China.

I have content with the receipts, while your only contribution here is the thumb down emojis.

 

[Australia Sucks]

Ford's CEO would strongly disagree with you about the prospects of Chinese EVs.

Ford is a crappy company run by morons who don't know shit so I would not take their CEOs opinion seriously.

 

[Cooper]

Ford is a crappy company run by morons who don't know shit so I would not take their CEOs opinion seriously.

OK you know more about the car industry than the Ford CEO.

Really wasting my time here.

 

[Australia Sucks]

OK you know more about the car industry than the Ford CEO.

Really wasting my time here.

I am saying you need to pick someone more credible than the CEO of a has been loss making company that probably won't exist in 10 years time. Why take seriously the opinions of monkeys.

"The Dearborn, Mich., company reported a net loss of $36 million, stemming from “special charges related to a field service action and expenses related to a previously announced cancellation of an electric vehicle program.”​

 

[RedLagoon]

To hold an economy against EV's is pretty hilarious as if that makes an economy in the first place while everyone is going back to hybrids again which the Japanese started in the late 90s.

I guess Japan is playing the long game knowing they fd themselves over investing there having their factories and all their know how stolen.

 

[Sandalwood Peak]

Let's explore China, together. Two problems. Asians are racist against protein. Problem 2: The Chinese use by the piece, retarded menus. So we'll have to try our best.

Exhibit A:



Let's go to Guangzhou and search for fast food in the core [?].


Great, let's find something super cheap. 10 Yuan average amount spent or whatever that means.



You'll be eating take out here.





Translated.



Images are fresh.



So, as a baseline reference, in Guangzhou you can expect to eat this sandwich:



For like 6 yuan or 0.84 USD.

Let's try to find a cheap buffet in the suburbs.



What do the reviews say? 2025-3-11



translated:

Try the buffet for 15 yuan per person, which is very cost-effective! The dishes are rich and diverse, including vegetables, cucumbers, eggplants, braised pork, and roast duck, all of which are delicious. The soup is delicious, including fried noodles, fried rice, and white rice. Although the price is affordable, the ingredients are rich and the taste is satisfying. The restaurant environment is clean and the service is very good. I am very full and satisfied. This experience was so worth it, I will bring my friends to try it next time!

15 yuan - 2.09 USD

 

[Caduceus]

Asians are racist against protein.

 

[Cooper]

Let's explore China, together. Two problems. Asians are racist against protein. Problem 2: The Chinese use by the piece, retarded menus. So we'll have to try our best.

Exhibit A:

View attachment 23167

Let's go to Guangzhou and search for fast food in the core [?].
View attachment 23168

Great, let's find something super cheap. 10 Yuan average amount spent or whatever that means.

View attachment 23169

You'll be eating take out here.

View attachment 23170

View attachment 23171

Translated.

View attachment 23172

Images are fresh.

View attachment 23173

So, as a baseline reference, in Guangzhou you can expect to eat this sandwich:

View attachment 23174

For like 6 yuan or 0.84 USD.

Let's try to find a cheap buffet in the suburbs.

View attachment 23175

What do the reviews say? 2025-3-11

View attachment 23176

translated:



15 yuan - 2.09 USD

You'Re sPoUtIng wumao CCP prOpaGandA !1!!

 

[Sandalwood Peak]

I was also able to find this really nice studio for 900 yuan, or 125 USD, in the suburbs of the city.

https://gz.zu.anjuke.com/fangyuan/3849867520502793?isauction=2&shangquan_id=18932&legoFeeUrl=https%3A%2F%2Flegoclick.58.com%2Fjump%3Ftarget%3DpZwY0ZnlsztdraOWUvYKuaY3uWwbnjnQuadhrjTvsHE1nAmVrHTvPiYQPh7-ujm1PW66mvEKPWmYrH0LPjEYrH9QP1bKTHn3Pjb3PW0dnWTdnjcLrHnKnHDzrH9KrHTknTDQsjDkTHnKnH0dPH9OnWDdPWDOPkDQPT7AEzdEEzdKib_VOlXxOCB4sXhehrB8Gryc-SB6Jrh6VEDQTHDKTiYQTEDQrHN3P1nOnHE1nWEkPH0zrHcOTHmKTHDKnH-bPAu-P1cVPyFBPBYYuh7-syDvrjmVmW6WmW0kuWw6Pjw-THDOPH9Ln1bQPjn1PHn3nHbQn1mKnHbdrj01rHDYn1nzPjEYPW0znTDKnikQnTDKTEDVTEDKTHnYnjcQnYNksHEknbDVnHTLnzdanHIAsHIjPYm1EHm1PWNYEEDzPWTLrhmzm1TluHIBPHGhPvmkrWEdP10ln1TOmHGhnWu6rhF-nWTKnTDkTEDQsjDQTgVqTHDknjnvTHDknjDvPWEKnyuWPj6-mWDVrHEvPzYYPhmLsyFhrynVPyEvnHTLPAcLPycQTEDYTEDKnTD1sjDvPWc_nH9On1cKnE78IyQ_TymvP1mOnW93myR-nWnOnWm&lego_tid=1fc48eb1-9467-46f7-bf9c-5d61074b75b1&psid=c07200195d89a8e48726f137dcf324db

So let's do some calculations.

Studio apartment = 900 yuan or 125 USD.

6-yuan X 125 sandwiches [5 a day] = 900 yuan or 125 USD.

Roughly 6-yuan big water bottles x 30 = 150 yuan or 22 USD. Maybe you can get them cheaper.

Subway seems to work on distance so let's ignore that. We're walking.

Now obviously you're going to get tired of the sandwiches and especially using sign language to communicate with street Asians. That's where the 7-11 comes in to save the day.





We're looking at some 7-11 verified meat here and milk. 7-11 is not your cheapest option but it is the most convenient.

So let's supplement our sandwiches with some protein and milk.

7 yuan meat on a stick x 30 days = 210 yuan or 30 USD.

15 yuan milk bottle x 15 days = 225 yuan or 31 USD. Milk every other day.

Conclusion:

333 USD to survive in this bustling Chinese city on some sandwiches, protein and water. If you're not getting your 2k calories from the sandwiches you can use my secret technique of buying mayonnaise and using that to bulk. Obviously, that will be extra in your budget.

Not bad at all. Very doable for a retiree and the rest can go towards your Asian waifu in case she doesn't want to stay in that room.

 

[Cooper]

At 3x that budget or $1K/mo you're no longer slumming it, though not quite living large.

I posted this video last Spring of a Canadian expat in Nanning eating out at an all-you-can-eat BBQ place with an open bar for US$10 and got a lot of pushback from the usual suspects ("it's all gutter all, low quality food, prices not real" etc...)

 

[Cooper]

I was also able to find this really nice studio for 900 yuan, or 125 USD, in the suburbs of the city.

View attachment 23181

https://gz.zu.anjuke.com/fangyuan/3849867520502793?isauction=2&shangquan_id=18932&legoFeeUrl=https%3A%2F%2Flegoclick.58.com%2Fjump%3Ftarget%3DpZwY0ZnlsztdraOWUvYKuaY3uWwbnjnQuadhrjTvsHE1nAmVrHTvPiYQPh7-ujm1PW66mvEKPWmYrH0LPjEYrH9QP1bKTHn3Pjb3PW0dnWTdnjcLrHnKnHDzrH9KrHTknTDQsjDkTHnKnH0dPH9OnWDdPWDOPkDQPT7AEzdEEzdKib_VOlXxOCB4sXhehrB8Gryc-SB6Jrh6VEDQTHDKTiYQTEDQrHN3P1nOnHE1nWEkPH0zrHcOTHmKTHDKnH-bPAu-P1cVPyFBPBYYuh7-syDvrjmVmW6WmW0kuWw6Pjw-THDOPH9Ln1bQPjn1PHn3nHbQn1mKnHbdrj01rHDYn1nzPjEYPW0znTDKnikQnTDKTEDVTEDKTHnYnjcQnYNksHEknbDVnHTLnzdanHIAsHIjPYm1EHm1PWNYEEDzPWTLrhmzm1TluHIBPHGhPvmkrWEdP10ln1TOmHGhnWu6rhF-nWTKnTDkTEDQsjDQTgVqTHDknjnvTHDknjDvPWEKnyuWPj6-mWDVrHEvPzYYPhmLsyFhrynVPyEvnHTLPAcLPycQTEDYTEDKnTD1sjDvPWc_nH9On1cKnE78IyQ_TymvP1mOnW93myR-nWnOnWm&lego_tid=1fc48eb1-9467-46f7-bf9c-5d61074b75b1&psid=c07200195d89a8e48726f137dcf324db

So let's do some calculations.

Studio apartment = 900 yuan or 125 USD.

6-yuan X 125 sandwiches [5 a day] = 900 yuan or 125 USD.

Roughly 6-yuan big water bottles x 30 = 150 yuan or 22 USD. Maybe you can get them cheaper.

Subway seems to work on distance so let's ignore that. We're walking.

Now obviously you're going to get tired of the sandwiches and especially using sign language to communicate with street Asians. That's where the 7-11 comes in to save the day.

View attachment 23182

View attachment 23183

We're looking at some 7-11 verified meat here and milk. 7-11 is not your cheapest option but it is the most convenient.

So let's supplement our sandwiches with some protein and milk.

7 yuan meat on a stick x 30 days = 210 yuan or 30 USD.

15 yuan milk bottle x 15 days = 225 yuan or 31 USD. Milk every other day.

Conclusion:

333 USD to survive in this bustling Chinese city on some sandwiches, protein and water. If you're not getting your 2k calories from the sandwiches you can use my secret technique of buying mayonnaise and using that to bulk. Obviously, that will be extra in your budget.

Not bad at all. Very doable for a retiree and the rest can go towards your Asian waifu in case she doesn't want to stay in that room.

This is a good one, big loft in the same neighborhood southeast of Guangzhou, at just under $200/mo:

https://gz.zu.anjuke.com/fangyuan/4201960014294031?isauction=2&shangquan_id=6469&from=zufang_page_rec_right&legoFeeUrl=https%3A%2F%2Flegoclick.58.com%2Fjump%3Ftarget%3DpZwY0ZnlsztdraOWUvYKuaYYm1mLujIbmiYkn1nQsHE3ujnVryDQuaY3PANzPjc3PjFhnyEKnHDkPHEQnjcOnWTQPj01TEDYnWTQrHmknjDYnWbYnjnQTHDQn1bOTHbQnjTKnikQnTD1THDLPHNOnHTQnWmYrjDKnE7AEzdEEzdKib_VOlXxOCB4OmvRlpAdOOzsOsJAOmScOOzsTHDKnEDKsHDKTHDOPHbkn1NYPjczPHbQPj93njTKP9DKnED1uHbQPWTLuaYknyw-sHwBPHnVmH0kmBY3mHDOm10QmvFhPjTKnHbdrHT1PHEYnWnvn1bQPWc3rEDQrHNOnjndPjEzn1nYPHE1rj0zTEDKTEDKsEDKTEDYR1NLPhPDnaYQnhuhsH6MXWEVwHNQwWDkPa3QPWn8nHbQsWbQsHNzn1EdndTkPHbLTHDkPa3QPWn8nHbQsWbQTHTKnTDKnikQnE7exEDQnjT1P9DQnjTQPW0QTHF6nWN1nynzsyNQmymVPjmQuaY3PHRhsyc1nAnvujnzm1-Bn9DKPTDKTHTKnzkQPWmzsjmYPWbKnE78IyQ_TH9OrHFbmhEvrH0QnhFWnH9&localName=&pagesource=14

 

[Sandalwood Peak]

This is a good one, big loft in the same neighborhood southeast of Guangzhou, at just under $200/mo:

Spacious, but the insulation on those windows doesn't inspire one's confidence in their ability to prevent acoustic penetration. It appears to look out onto a roadway. Lots of noise. Their choice of those bland Ukrainian drapes tells me we're dealing with a unsophisticated, deranged property management.

Look at what I found.

https://gz.zu.anjuke.com/fangyuan/4189268335025158?isauction=2&shangquan_id=6375&legoFeeUrl=https%3A%2F%2Flegoclick.58.com%2Fjump%3Ftarget%3DpZwY0ZnlsztdraOWUvYKuaYvPHDLuW6-PiYdrHcdsHwbP1mVmW6-nzYdn10Lrj-hnWFBmWmKn1EdrjEOPHE1PHT3PH9KTHEQrjbzPW91n1NknWNQPH9KnHTYnjTKnHTYnjTKnikQnTD1THDLPHNOnHEzn1nOP1mKnWNKwbnVNDnVENGssXXMMSpcfzLMoufG9cM-BFxCCpWGCUNKnEDQTEDVnEDKnHbdrjDOnHnkPWNQn1mknjNQn9DvTyGGmNI-rWDknjKxnHNknTDQTyNYmW03uHEdsHDznj9VPjnOmzd6nvcvsHEQPvmvrHF-nycdmEDQrHN3nHbQn1TvPWndn1cdPjEkTHDOPH9QrHD1njmvnjDvP1cLnjEKTHD_nHTKTEDKsEDKTEDYR1NLPhPDnaYQnhuhsH6MXWEVwHNQwWcvnj0luWFWnjG-PvcdrhmLuWTlPjNLP1C1nj-6rhmzPhDlmhNznaYdnWnYPHPEnjNOPkDzPWTLrhmzm1TluHIBPHGhPvmkrWEdP10ln1TOmHGhnWu6rhF-nWTKnTDkTEDQsjDQTgVqTHDknjnvTHDknjDvPWNKmvmkmhFBmvNVmyDLPBYYrH6-syDdujbVuARbmWcduhu6PH0dTEDYTEDKnTD1sjDvPHE_PWnLPEDQTyOdUAkKn1NLmvu-PyRbmyRhPhELrE&lego_tid=cf0bbbce-aa76-498e-a5d9-dedb25ffa575&psid=295555da4a99f27d8e0972749e30ca5d

An absolutely spectacular, cozy little nest.

Location, location, location. Right next to that giant park. Literally pack your sandwiches and go hiking every day or spend an hour or two walking into the downtown core. I also appreciate their appreciation for European style.

 

[Cooper]

^That place has a fatal flaw, in case you haven't noticed! Check out the bathroom/toilet in that studio... They did a good job de-emphasizing that, lol.

More generally speaking though, considering that Greater Bay Area region that includes HK, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Macau etc is the largest urban agglomeration in the world with around 85 million people, the population of Germany crammed into an area the size of Maryland, it's amazing how there are still lots of green spaces in the midst of all that humanity.

 

[Sandalwood Peak]

^That place has a fatal flaw, in case you haven't noticed! Check out the bathroom/toilet in that studio... They did a good job de-emphasizing that, lol.

More generally speaking though, considering that Greater Bay Area region that includes HK, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Macau etc is the largest urban agglomeration in the world with around 85 million people, the population of Germany crammed into an area the size of Maryland, it's amazing how there are still lots of green spaces in the midst of all that humanity.

You mean the squat toilet? That's a bit of an issue.

Sitting vs. squatting: a scoping review of toilet postures and associated health outcomes - PMC

The comparison between squatting and sitting toilets involves complex health, ergonomic, and design considerations. This scoping review aims to synthesize evidence on the digestive, musculoskeletal, and ergonomic health outcomes associated with ...

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Squatting is actually perfect form when doing bowel evacuation, they claim it can physically damage the toilet but I've yet to break one. I guess you can snap the flange but this is where quality over value comes in. Not an issue with this bad boy. You're right though, couple issues here in retrospect.

The Chinese ingenuity on display with the wide-angle pictures. This is a starter apartment. Just a place to eat the sandwiches. Ideally you would be roaming the downtown area trying to find a job. There should be much better, cheaper places for a retiree just looking for an Asian woman to share a bowl of noodles with.

What's alarming is the lack of bidet gun, which hopefully can be negotiated with management. Second issue is you have to stand over the toilet as you shower. We have to remember, this is China. There are custom made solutions for your problems.



Just go on their app and custom order a squat toilet cover or just buy one in a store. Whatever is less awkward.



This one allows the water to penetrate so the shampoo can clean your scalp and your pipes.

 

[Cooper]

^Along the same lines of custom-made solution, this was a pretty neat job: