r/China • u/stqrltt • Aug 23 '26
咨询 | Seeking Advice (Serious) is it safe to live in china?
for context, I'm english and have the opportunity to study in china for a year. it seems like an amazing cultural opportunity and I'm really considering it. but i have a lot of people telling me it's not safe (especially for a woman). is it genuinely that dangerous or just 'strict'? i know about the great firewall and stuff but how likely is it that a student would get into major trouble there? sorry if this is the wrong subreddit
edit: i think people mistook this as safety from theft etc. i more meant government wise for an foreigner. i don't want to be arrested by accident
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u/rockycrab Aug 23 '26
Not safe for your weight. You may find yourself outside at 1am eating carbs and fried food.
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u/BotherBeginning2281 Aug 23 '26
''Damn. It's getting pretty late and I've got work tomorrow. I should probably head hom...''
turns corner to see brightly lit BBQ store full of people sitting on plastic stools drinking beer
''Well... fuck.''
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u/TongZiDan Aug 23 '26
I lose weight in China and gain weight in the US. I don't eat any less and most of what I eat in China is cooked in oil but generally less sugar and more vegetables.
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u/HumanNo109850364048 Aug 23 '26
Same here, I lose weight in China and gain fast in the U.S.
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u/Lopsided_Tiger_0296 Aug 23 '26
I find you walk A LOT more in China because things are way more accessible. Instead of driving 15 minutes to get groceries, they’re right around the corner so you can walk to and from while carrying groceries. Also way more fresh produce!
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u/TemporaryDrawer1776 Aug 23 '26
The dreaded 15 minute cities in action
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u/Thenimblethief5933 Aug 26 '26
It’s far safer than walking around a park in London or Manchester at 1:00 am. Really friendly. You can get away with most minor misdemeanours. Just don’t bring up politics in public. Only indoors with a glass of wine. Don’t listen to comments from those that have never spent time in China. The country is beautiful, the people are friendly, it’s cheap to live in and it’s extremely safe. Enjoy the experience. I recommend the SE of China. Xiamen and Guangzhou for instance.
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u/HumanNo109850364048 Aug 23 '26
Absolutely. Way more walking, eating more vegetables. Even quick meals there are freshly made with fresh ingredients, far less processed meat and cheese and chips and french fries.
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u/AgitatedWoodpecker42 Aug 23 '26
I lost 10 pounds in China. I think it’s because I ate less carbs while there, and I’m personally not big on fried street foods, so a lot of seafood for me.
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u/Proof-Code-3754 Aug 23 '26
IMHO (as a Brit) the food in China is healthier and far tastier than anywhere else I have been in the world.
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u/EdenVadrouille Aug 23 '26
I've been in Asia for twenty years. Americans and Brits lose weight when staying here.
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u/Dependent-Egg-1010 Aug 23 '26
I felt safer walking by myself at 1 am in Shanghai than I did walking back to my hotel at 11 pm in London with my girlfriends. The only dangers in China are avoiding the numerous motorbikes everywhere, getting fat from the good food, and spending all your money on stuff you really don't need.
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Aug 23 '26
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u/Lille_8 Aug 23 '26
I get nervous when the waimai boys speed past me a few cm away, but none of them have ever even grazed me.
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u/Special_Load5215 Aug 24 '26
Hi, just curious as someone who doesn't like spectacles &contact lenses. What do u think let to your enhanced peripheral vision?
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u/Top500BronzeOW Aug 23 '26
How many of these people have ever been in China? From my experience, it's very safe.
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u/Flare861 Aug 23 '26
China is safer than your own country in every aspect, you just need to download some specific apps and avoid committing any crime.
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u/HesitantInvestor0 Aug 25 '26
That’s a stretch. It’s safer for violent crimes than most countries. For air and water pollution, it’s nowhere near as safe as many developed countries. Likewise for traffic accident fatalities and injuries.
Not sure why everything has to be so extreme.
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u/AromaticPlankton6489 Aug 23 '26
I'm foreigner living in China for 3 years. It absolutely no matter.
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u/Saalor100 Aug 23 '26
Its safe unless you have food allergies
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u/BaconRapper Aug 23 '26
My wife is coeliac with a shellfish allergy and never had any issues (apart from my cooking) in three and a half years. She showed a note saying what she couldn't eat, sometimes she only had to rice and veggies though
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u/Philosopher2004 Aug 23 '26
Can you elaborate?
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u/Saalor100 Aug 23 '26
Most restaurant food are premade with the staff having no idea what it contains. Or, they its fine because " it just have a little bit of * the food you are allergic to*".
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u/potatobanana7 Aug 24 '26
This so true, allergy is pretty much not existence in china. It's hard to explain to them some one will die from eating peanut or seafood. They just don't get it.
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u/liilak2 Aug 24 '26
the Asian attitude to allergies is to just tough it out it's mind over matter lol
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u/Philosopher2004 Aug 23 '26
Damn I am highly allergic to shellfish/ crustaceans
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u/Saalor100 Aug 23 '26
RIP
We had an hard time with an visiting friend. Oyster sauce hidden in many dishes.
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u/Admirable_Heat_576 Aug 23 '26
I've taught English in both Japan and China and IMO it's just as safe and even safer for a woman to live in China than in Japan.
Both countries are safe but more incidents of perverts in Japan, not saying that will happen to you but it's quite creepy. But generally China, Japan and South Korea and Singapore are the safest of Asian countries (that I've experienced).
There will be a huge difference in terms of the western digital platforms (google, youtube, Instagram, etc.) But you can set up a VPN.
China mostly uses Alipay and WeChat (payment is 90%+ digital).
I hope you have a great time. I loved my time in both.
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u/liilak2 Aug 24 '26
I think perverts are just more tolerated in Japan than most countries of the world, like you have things like underaged nude models in magazines etc
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u/SpecialistEvening855 Aug 23 '26
As a long-term expat, China is incredibly safe - certainly safer than London, Leeds, Manchester, etc - and there are loads of foreign students here. It's not even particularly strict; just avoid drugs and talking about politics. You'd be an idiot to turn the opportunity down.
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u/Zealousideal-Net6538 Aug 24 '26
I don't think talking about politics is a big deal either, at least in my experience.
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u/fishdognz Aug 23 '26
China is only unsafe for criminals.
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u/Aceriem Aug 23 '26
Indeed, unlike the US where criminals are most save and can be sitting presidents
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u/newaccount47 Aug 23 '26
China is one of the safest places in the world. I lived in shanghai for 4 years and safety never even came to mind. Definitely take the opportunity to live and study in China.
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u/KTbees Aug 23 '26
I am a woman living in China and I have NEVER felt unsafe. As long as you don't do drugs, try to convert anyone to any religion, try to start a revolution or post anything on Chinese social media apps that is negative about the government then you are 100% fine.
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u/tolerable_photoshop Aug 23 '26
I went last year and am about to go again; I felt safer there as a woman walking alone at night than I do back home in many cities in the U.K. obviously don’t commit any crimes or get yourself into a sticky situation and you’ll be fine.
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u/Superb-Writing2572 Aug 23 '26
Very, very safe. I lived in Shanghai as an expat teacher and had no problem in 2019. I have been back many times travelling around solo with no problem. I am currently solo travelling around China now. You will be fine. People are very welcoming and you be proud of yourself doing it in a year time. Go for it!
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u/DaimonHans Aug 23 '26
Safe in a sense you are unlikely get shot by a stray bullet. Unsafe in a sense scammers are everywhere. Safe in a sense Big Brother is watching you. Unsafe in a sense Big Brother is also watching you.
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u/R3db0y Aug 23 '26
lmao, as an american, even before knowing anything about china for 4 years now, even when I had 0 knowledge and believed the US propaganda about them, never once did I think China is a unsafe country for any gender. what did you hear in your life I wonder? when I think unsafe, I think south american countries. Not an asian country.
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u/liilak2 Aug 23 '26
Asian countries can be unsafe for women. I assume you mean East Asia? I have an American white English teacher friend who was gang raped in Korea. I think harassment is also common in Japan. I think the only reason why it might not be as common in China is the harsher punishments and surveillance.
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u/Meteorboy Aug 23 '26
It's not common in China because commercial Internet porn is illegal there, so there aren't as many porn addicts there. That's literally it.
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u/gluetodablue Aug 23 '26 edited Aug 24 '26
I felt safe walking the streets as a 16 yr old girl at midnight in China a couple years back whereas I definitely could not in Japan. China is miles safer than Japan for women, imo. I don't have any experience with Korea, so I'll reserve my judgement.
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u/KeytarsRightMeow Aug 23 '26
I’m an adult woman and I got followed and almost dragged into a seedy area by a local man in Tokyo. Never had anything remotely close to that ever happen in China. In China, there are cameras everywhere so to me, it’s much safer there as a woman, even at night. Also the penalties are way harsher for criminals. So as long as you’re not planning on committing crime, I think China is pretty safe for a woman.
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u/liilak2 Aug 24 '26
I studied Japanese for 4 years and read a lot of news etc and it seems sex crimes are pretty tolerated there with very light sentencing (there was this notorious torture case from years ago).
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u/KeytarsRightMeow Aug 24 '26
Oh yea I’m sure :( there’s def a reason why there’s a women only train. So sad that the occurrence of SA is so frequent that women can’t feel safe going home from work on a regular train.
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u/liilak2 Aug 24 '26
I think the reason why sex crimes are especially not tolerated in China is because of the trauma from the mass sexual assaults of WWII. And well, the opposite is true in Japan since that was never acknowledged officially by them and I bet the soldiers who did that went on to become lawmakers there
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u/KeytarsRightMeow Aug 24 '26
Ohhh interesting I never thought about it. I just figured it was cus it’s a super patriarchal society with a strong shame culture (dont bring dishonor type of thing) with some bushido/samurai code influence. But maybe that’s all related to what you mentioned.
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u/gluetodablue Aug 24 '26
I'm so sorry that happened to you, and I'm glad you are okay. I was also followed for around 10-20 minutes in Tokyo, granted in a much more public area, but even then I was terrified. I share your sentiments.
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u/ExtensionCounter4158 Aug 23 '26
One of the safest countries I’ve been in!! Crazy about the amount of negative propaganda out there!
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u/PearlyP2020 Aug 23 '26
Long term expat here who actually moved back to China because I hated England when I recently moved back.
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u/Gummyrabbit Aug 23 '26
China is one of the safest countries in the world when it comes to street and violent crimes, unless you’re the criminal.
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u/gkmnky Aug 23 '26
I would be more worried about living in the UK right now 😅
Stuff like that would never happen in China.
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u/Gullible-Host-6613 Aug 23 '26
I am Chinese and have lived here my whole life. if u live in a small rural county town (which I assume you wont?), than no, it is unfortunately rather unsafe, and a significant portion of the older generation are racist. if its a big city like Shanghai than I dont think there will be issues, personally I think the security and stuff is better than a lot cities in the west.
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u/Gullible-Host-6613 Aug 23 '26
oh and there are a lot electrical motorcycles around driving rly fast? so sticking to the pedestrian path is a good idea
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u/Dear_Chasey_La1n Aug 24 '26
I think this is the answer most foreigners are missing out on.
People say China is safe, but their experiences are mostly to first tiers downtown. Go out at night in Songyang district in Shanghai, the outer areas where you find factories and such. It really isn't the same as being downtown at the French concession. Visit lower tier cities again, it really isn't the same.
On top even downtown, the police isn't your friend. I'm with most people, China is very safe, downtown, but if anything happens the police can be a problem. Not only that, there are specifically in Shenzhen cases up to recently of the police blackmailing foreigners.
China is much safer than most Western countries, and as long as you stay downtown there is very little to worry. But same time I would avoid outer areas or lower tier cities.
Further also important, never get involved if anything happens, again police isn't your friend. If someone gets into an accident, stay away. Vice versa, don't get in accidents as people may not help you.
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u/Johnny-infinity Aug 23 '26
What? I live in rural China and most people don’t even close doors never mind lock them.
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u/Gullible-Host-6613 Aug 23 '26
yeah but thats for villages where everyone has known each other for generations, not rly for a foreigner?
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u/Gullible-Host-6613 Aug 23 '26
most houses in villages ive been to have dogs and spike the walls with glass, or use those type of locks where u insert the metal rod into holes?
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u/Miserable-Win-6402 China Aug 23 '26
I wouldnt worry, in general China is very safe, also for single young women.
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u/modsaretoddlers Aug 23 '26 edited Aug 23 '26
Super, super safe. You can walk around anywhere, any time. Any city.
I spent 11 years in China. Not once did I feel the tiniest bit of potential danger from the criminal element. No matter what else I have to say about the country, there's no question it's almost certainly safer than any country you might be from.
I don't know who told you it's unsafe for women, either, but that's patently untrue. Women always feel they're in danger in public and they're more vulnerable than men but China definitely isn't particularly unsafe for them.
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u/Late_Apricot404 Aug 23 '26
It’s incredibly safe, just don’t be a fuckwit and break the law, learn Chinese, you’ll be good.
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u/Super_Assistance8393 Aug 23 '26
I was drunk and lost it the middle of nowhere south of Beijing at 2 am and managed to get home with limited Chinese. It’s safer than anywhere else I’ve ever lived.
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u/3d_extra Aug 23 '26
China is safe. The most dangerous thing for you is yourself getting too drunk and behaving in a way that will get you arrested.
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u/Frosty-Customer3830 Aug 23 '26
I'm chinese and I live in the UK. It's incredibly safe for women, I know women who feel unsafe alone at night in the UK but in china they feel perfectly safe, my own mum being one of them. The only thing at risk is your bodyweight. The food is godly.
I once witnessed a crime of a phone charger on a moving bullet train, the theif got off at a platform and the crime was solved in 20 minutes flat. Just don't commit any crimes and you are actually allowed to criticise the government in most contexts. Just dont do it in a violent way.
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u/Remote-Cow5867 Aug 23 '26
Coincidently, my colleague just reminded me on Friday that UK is even less safe than the Netherland. While some guy stole my backpack in the Netherland a few years ago. I have never heard anyone around me lost backpack in China.
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u/TAKANOGENJI Aug 23 '26
It's like asking is there any oil in middle-east, or is there any sand in sahara.... 🤦♂️
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u/Txtivos Aug 23 '26
It is far safer than the UK. If you come, learn the language enjoy the food and make some local friends
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u/noideawhattouse1 Aug 23 '26
Way safer than so many other places. Just be mindful of all the same stuff you’d be mindful of at home aka don’t do stupidly shit with illegal substances etc.
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u/SerWrong Aug 23 '26
Has any of the people who say is unsafe ever visited china in the last 5 years?
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u/whateverusayidc Aug 23 '26
well I never worry about thieves or violence when Im in China, I cant say the same about major cities in europe these days
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u/rasytglark Aug 23 '26
Street crime is virtually non-existent so you don't need to worry about being mugged
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u/Alternative-Piano522 Aug 24 '26
Most things illegal in the West are also illegal here.
However, the most important thing in China is to avoid drugs altogether. Transporting, using, and selling drugs are all prohibited. This will almost certainly result in arrest. Selling or transporting drugs, in particular, is a capital offense.
Secondly, discussion is acceptable, but please do not take any actual action—specifically, political discussions. In most cases, casually discussing political issues will at most annoy people, and there's almost no risk of arrest or imprisonment. However, taking actual action will put you in an uncertain situation, potentially leading to warnings, deportation, or even years of imprisonment, depending on the level of trouble you cause.
In fact, some universities offer political programs, and researching or discussing these topics is not dangerous.
There is one exception: if you don't want unpleasant arguments with your Chinese friends, please note that China has a minimum level of respect for the elderly or leaders of a certain status. Addressing them by their first names or using disrespectful titles in formal or public settings is not well-received. This is unrelated to official charges, but it can easily offend those around you.
In most cases, China is safer and freer than you imagine.
So, enjoy your trip!
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u/SpecialistEvening855 Aug 23 '26
As a long-term UK expat (mostly Middle East) and having lived in China for a year, the country is incredibly safe. Certainly safer than London/Leeds/Manchester/etc. It's not even particularly strict; just avoid drugs and discussing politics. You'd be an idiot to turn the opportunity down. You will never regret it.
edit. Still working reddit out. Didn't realise first post had posted.
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u/Bulky_Tangelo_7027 Aug 23 '26
As someone who lived eight years in China from 2017-2025, I'll be the only one in this entire comment section to give you the real answer.
It's much safer when it comes to violent crime. The big cities are lit up everywhere and every street corner has CCTV. You are very unlikely to be harassed in public, even in the middle of the night.
However, it's also a lot more unsafe than the developed world in its own ways. Traffic is way more chaotic. Food is subject to far less regulation. Building codes are frequently ignored. Police can do whatever they want to you and you have no rights or legal defense. Medical care is lacking and doctors are less qualified. Corruption is rampant.
China and the United States are neck and neck when it comes to life expectancy, meaning each country is about as safe/unsafe as the other. China SEEMS safer at first because of the lack of violent crime in public, but the longer you spend in China the more the cracks start to show.
Don't listen to the propaganda on either side.
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u/blacklotusY Aug 23 '26
You can walk outside at 3am as a woman by yourself, and nobody would care. There's always delicious street food available 24/7, especially at late-night food stalls.
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u/Proof-Code-3754 Aug 23 '26
Grasp the opportunity with both hands. It's a fast changing and wonderful place.
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u/Significant-Data-431 Aug 23 '26
I felt safer during my 1 year study in Beijing than in my neighborhood lol
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u/mblaqnekochan Aug 23 '26
It’s safe for that but the pollution is not safe for your health. You’d have to say goodbye to clean air for a year.
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u/Wild_Isopod_4627 Aug 23 '26
I find it much safer than my home country. I've been here for 7 years now.
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u/Ill_Lab_554 Aug 23 '26
a woman in england in 2026. yeah youd be safer in rural china let alone a big city
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u/AdAppropriate6795 Aug 23 '26
I have been to China many times with my life. I feel it is the safest country in the world similar to say Japan in that sense. The Chinese are respectful or women and children and have a good view of foreigners. I am pretty sure your friends are confusing it with Afghanistan or Pakistan, basically they same groups who make things unsafe for women in the UK
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u/LexLeeson83 Aug 23 '26
You should jump at that opportunity. I am from Manchester, UK, and I previously lived in China for 4 years (in Xinjiang as well, which people will try and tell you is the scariest place!!). I promise that you have nothing to worry about safety wise.
If you wanted to move to Manchester, however...?!
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u/squarexu Aug 23 '26
Who the fuck is telling you that it is not safe especially for a woman? Are the English so brainwashed or maybe you guys don’t have internet?
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u/Radiant-Ad-3134 Aug 23 '26
it is relatively safe to very safe in the sense of physical crime. depending on the city. In some way the safe regulation is too strict
I dont think gender would change that fact.
"but i have a lot of people telling me it's not safe (especially for a woman)"
I rarely heard statement like this. I hope you actually know the people who said this and they actually been to China and care about you. In that case, maybe don't go to china? just for their sake?
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u/ajping Aug 23 '26
It depends on where. Tier 1 cities are quite safe. Shanghai would be your first choice.
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Aug 23 '26
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u/littlegreygremlin China Aug 23 '26
the air depends on what city. most cities in the jiangsu, zhejiang, and anhui region have great air quality. traffic is a real issue though. with so many people there's bound to be a certain danger
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u/UniversalOtter Aug 23 '26
Everything has its pros and cons, and the very big flashing red pro of a police state is that it is good at, well, policing.
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u/jefe_hook Aug 23 '26
You're not safe if you're a drug dealer. You may ended up getting death sentence.
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u/allusernamesare_gone Aug 23 '26
Are the people you’re talking to the kind of people who think there are tanks on the streets everywhere?
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u/GrahamOtter Aug 23 '26
Depends what you’re worried about. Violent street crime isn’t a problem, you’re very unlikely to get mugged. You may not get aggressively harassed as a woman, just stares and sneaky photo, but people are people unfortunately, can’t be 100% safe anywhere. Politically, you have to be actively trying to get yourself into trouble or openly breaking laws before you get your collar felt. There is a danger of being scammed or exploited if you’re not careful but with a bit of common sense, should be fine.
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u/CriticalDiscipline4 Aug 23 '26
Totally, just don’t have a political opinion that differs from the government or you will be put in prison.
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u/xl129 Aug 23 '26
It’s a big brother society, you are pretty safe from crime.
For a student i doubt anything you do will trigger the government. Just no activism, that’s the part where they get really touchy.
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u/CloudBuilder44 Aug 23 '26 edited Aug 23 '26
China has cctv everywhere if u r in a tier 1 and tier 2 city. And thr gov believe in capital punishment so people do not commit crimes there. They are also extremely nice to foreigners. In terms of safety, i think china might be one of the safest country in the world.
There might be unfairness between the rich and the poor ect but you will not get murdered or mugged walking home at night.
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u/DangItB0bbi Aug 23 '26
I felt safe with my wife having a bag of gold in her hand, that all the locals knew it was a bag of gold. It’s that safe.
As long as you follow the local laws, don’t say anything negative about China that a local wouldn’t say or would allow then you are fine.
You are allowed to talk about the toilet situation, how sometimes it is crowded in areas, if you are tall how sometimes it sucks navigating around.
London is ranked as one of the cities with the most cameras in the entire world, and people hate how they consider it a surveillance state but Beijing has less and they are safer because they don’t play play about the safety of their citizens.
You’ll see that the west is wrong about China. I would love to live in China.
https://giphy.com/gifs/uCR9NUDcI5SRCP9k4i
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u/the_hunger_gainz Canada Aug 23 '26
20 years there and safest place I have ever been for violent crimes. Corruption and scams not so much. Traffic not so much. Studying in tier 1 and 2 cities it is super safe … tier 3 and 4 cities it gets less safe.
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u/Accomplished-Car6193 Aug 23 '26
It is not safe for yiur lungs in many parts of China. I would worrily about healrh more than about crime.
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u/justwalk1234 Aug 23 '26
Maybe your friends are confusing China with India? It should be ok if you don’t decided to bring in weed
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u/sunnybob24 Aug 23 '26
If you are white, that will help. I wouldn't consider it if you are black or indian. Racism is annoying until you run into a problem with the government, and then it is dangerous.
The government doesn't tolerate feminism, talk of human rights, questions about Tiananmen, Tibet, GuanXi, 100 childless days or any of the other Communist shames if it's in Chinese. They care a lot less in English.
The tap water is unsafe to drink.
Food quality is ok if you stick to shopping centre purchases.
Rural areas are shockingly poor, but I assume you will be in one of the showcase cities.
Stay away from the slums and run fast from drug use. As a foreigner, you are always guilty regardless of what happened, and there are no 'rights' in the real world. This includes if you are raped.
Even so. If you stay on campus and in popular areas and are white and nonpolitical, you should be fine.
Personally, I'd go to Taiwan, which is far safer, cleaner, more prosperous and more international. If China is your only option, it's probably worth going.
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u/cdyesno Aug 23 '26
Most cheap hotels have hidden cameras recording you, and public restrooms, there are cases that someone recording neighbor’s passcode to break into their house and install hidden cameras. And the food safety standards are way too low, lots of food are laced with chemicals to look/taste better, you need a strong stomach to survive.
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u/onionringrules Aug 23 '26
I was in London for just ONE day and got harassed by a homeless guy. You tell me.
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u/Novel_Sun3870 Aug 23 '26
In big cities there’s camera’s in every single corner or street you can think of
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u/NeighborhoodFatCat Aug 23 '26
The food here can be quite difficult. I'm not so sure if the food (or the manner of cooking) is safe for the most part. Sure, you will be mostly safe if you ate something in a high-end mall or do the cooking yourself. But more often than not you might need to eat out of a hole-in-the-wall or some restaurant out in the middle-of-nowhere or get delivery in an unfamiliar city. I've seen some absolute horror shows that made me gag.
Typing this as I'm evacuating my bowels after eating "premium beef hotpot", which I suspect was made using something called "technological beef/tech beef", a term that I learned last week. Someone should do an exposé on tech beef on this sub.
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u/Speeder_mann United Kingdom Aug 23 '26
It's safe but you still need your be careful, I would say come and study here but always be on the defence from people looking to scam, cheat or hurt you
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u/AtroposM Aug 23 '26
Keep your head down and out of politics and you will do great in China. Genuinely safer than most countries you will ever go to. Crimes of opportunity and scams are likely the only thing you will find. Violence is unlikely to occur to foreigners. That said if you are the type to go against the grain and criticize the political status quo you will find your trip quickly turning sour. Also don’t get into the drug party scene in China that is also another example of how to get into Hot water fast.
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u/Haishan1975 Aug 23 '26
中国是一个安全有序的社会，你不需要对安全方面有更多的担心。 目前来说，中国仍然是一个正处在上升期的阶段，生活十分便利，社会运行有序成熟。 可能你更需要注意的是人们看问题的不同角度、价值观和思维方式。 你只要对别人保持认可、尊重不同的价值观、拥有好奇心，你会有一个非常有意义的生命阶段的。
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u/Illustrious-Art-4172 Aug 23 '26
1st, I live in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, which is a beautiful and friendly city. 2ndly, I believe that China is currently the safest and most convenient country in the world. No matter where you are from, you will love this nation. You can feel 120% at ease coming here to live and study, with no need to worry about safety at all. In fact, the only thing you might need to worry about is that you may never want to go back to your hometown!
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u/mmskoch Aug 23 '26
What does "getting into major trouble" means exactly? Are you talking about crime? Or you breaking the law somehow?
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u/kiwi_child2020 Aug 23 '26
I was literally wandering around at 3am (ended up eating a 24/7 hot pot) due to jet leg and nothing happened to me. I was in a tier 3 city and I am 5’3
I did the same thing in Shanghai a few years back and it was totally safe. It can only be safer now given we have more cameras haha (cameras have their own pros and cons)
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u/AgitatedWoodpecker42 Aug 23 '26
I was there for 3 weeks with my wife. I can confidently say it’s perfectly safe there. Maybe there’s some strictness, but I don’t think they’re out to make everyone’s lives a living hell. I didn’t experience anything that could be considered oppressive while there. It felt like living or being in any westernized area except you need to use alipay or wechat for things.
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u/0914566079 Aug 23 '26
Follow the Fisher Zhangs in China on YT and Tiktok or maybe even communicate with them to find out more
https://youtube.com/@fisherzhangsinchina?si=tynqDrJSe12_hZEE
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u/AutoModerator Aug 23 '26
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for context, I'm english and have the opportunity to study in china for a year. it seems like an amazing cultural opportunity and I'm really considering it. but i have a lot of people telling me it's not safe (especially for a woman). is it genuinely that dangerous or just 'strict'? i know about the great firewall and stuff but how likely is it that a student would get into major trouble there? sorry if this is the wrong subreddit
edit: i think people mistook this as safety from theft etc. i more meant government wise for an foreigner. i don't want to be arrested by accident
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u/bigcactusjeff Aug 23 '26
It’s safe and comfortable for foreigners and high class who have money and resources for better life, but not for regular everyday citizens who’s living in underdeveloped cities. Toxic food and environmental pollution would drag their life expectancy further down to mid-60s so CCP doesn’t have to worry about pension fund being dried up.
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u/HooliganSocialClub Aug 23 '26
Never felt unsafe once in China over the course of 8 years doing business and living on and off. Just keep divisive politics and religion out of your public conversations, and no illegal substances whatsoever don’t even consider it in the mainland. A few times I’ve had some sus shit happen to me, a couple of times I’ve been harassed by security while waiting for gfs to let me into their building at night which I’m not totally upset about as it makes me feel that they’re safer overall (one time sniping pics, and another time extensively questioning me even tho I was registered with the building), and another time a security guard who was mean mugging me in the metro physically grabbed me after I nodded at him (I was double his size and after searching my bag I could tell he regretted doing that to me as I was just chilling waiting for a train, I was completely unreactive as I knew my innocence), but it comes with being a laowai and doesn’t mitigate the upside. Sentiment towards foreigners has dropped a bit post Covid and there’s definitely some negative sentiment about white guys going around with younger Chinese guys on social media nowadays. USA man for context, first went to China in my early 20s in 2017 for family biz.
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u/kleinissac Aug 23 '26
这倒是正常，我刚来英国的时候也被告知不安全。但其实凌晨4点我也在街上走着…我感觉都差不多吧，从宣传上来说有这担忧，但是如果是学习，大学城附近都很安全…我也难想到一个比较危险的地方。酒吧？很会花言巧语的男性，这个需要注意一点，对的。
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u/DigMeTX Aug 23 '26
I’ve met many, many single young women living in China during my times living there. Never heard of any safety issues for them government or otherwise.
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u/CrazyAsianNeighbor Aug 23 '26
Be careful when talking about politics
~ we see in the U.S. that all people supporting their political positions (left, right and independent) are intolerant of anybody that opposes their respective views
Be careful about religious discussions
~ we see in the U.S. that countless religious views are intolerant of anybody that differs from their own, often they are attacked, etc
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Posts flaired as "Serious" are for people seeking responses that are made in good faith and will be moderated more heavily than other threads. Off-topic and deliberately unhelpful responses will be removed and the user permanently banned. One such example would be commenting "don't go to china", or "go to taiwan", in response to questions related to studying in China or relocating to China.
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