Chinese American Albert Chen, 25, said he came to China to discover his family roots and to build a start-up company using his engineering background. Photo: Courtesy of Albert Chen
Born and raised in the States but looking like a local, causes 'yellow skin' expats hardships in China
The first day of every English class Jason Lee teaches at a university in the suburbs of Hangzhou in Zhejiang Province, he is met with awkward stares. His students step into the classroom and quickly appear puzzled, not taking their eyes off the young man with crew cut black hair, black eyes and yellow skin. "Is he the foreign teacher?" murmur the students.
"I am an American-born-Chinese (ABC)," Lee, 24, had to explain.
In 2015, Lee was among the growing number of foreigners flocking to China to work and experience the country. Yet ethnically, he is identified with a group of expats in China called huayi (foreign citizens of Chinese origin) who stand out from the rest due to their distinct Chinese heritage and family roots. They are also dubbed "banana people" - after peeling off the yellow cover, their white [Western] mindset is revealed - the result of being born and raised in the West. They look Chinese, but behave like an American.
As China continues to grow to be a global power, it's expected that the number of huayi coming to China to work and live will increase. Does their Chinese heritage make their path smoother in China? Metropolitan talks to several ABC who experienced transitioning in China.
When an ABC teaches English
For most foreigners with English as a native language, teaching has always been the easiest way to start in China. Lee, a third-generation Chinese American, born and raised in Boston, decided to try it out, even though he majored in mechanical engineering and had no teaching experience.
"It's not a career, but a way to make money," Lee said. He came with three goals: to experience China, to learn the Chinese language, and possibly connect with his family roots.
Lee is a blogger for "ABC in China," in which he shares articles about cultural differences between China and the US. Being an ABC English teacher in China, he had to deal with local people's speculation on his identity because he appears to be Chinese.
"I also taught part time at a private English teaching school. There are times that parents were confused because I did not fit the typical characteristics of a Westerner," he said.
Eric Liu, a consultant at Foreign HR, a recruitment company for foreigners in China, said that foreigners with Chinese heritage may face more challenges while working as an English teacher.
"In the teaching industry, there are companies that explicitly claim they won't recruit ABC or other huayi. Europeans and Americans [without Chinese heritage] have a better advantage in getting a job in terms of their cultural backgrounds, foreign looks and purity of language," explained Liu.
But a lot of companies don't care if the applicants are huayi or not, according to Liu. Foreigners with Chinese heritage are preferred when some Chinese universities and enterprises hire international talent.
"For example, when a university is looking for a professor, foreigners with Chinese heritage are usually willing to work for a longer period of time. They may ask for a little lower pay, and are more likely to blend in with the local culture," said Liu.
One of the advantages of being an ABC English teacher in China is that they have a familiar look, which can be better for students.
"I met an English school owner who taught very young kids in Hangzhou, and she actually prefers hiring huayi. She feels that they understand Chinese culture a little bit more, and little kids are more comfortable with someone who looks the same," said Lee.
Still foreigners
Similar to Lee, Albert Chen, 25, has a degree in engineering, and before he came to China he was working in Silicon Valley in the U.S., home to many of the world's largest high-tech corporations and thousands of start-up companies. Currently, Chen is building a startup company.
"People respect you more if you're an ABC from the Silicon Valley," Chen said.
"As an American, I still had a Chinese heritage that I did not understand at all," he said, explaining this as one of his reasons for coming to China.
"I felt like I didn't have a strong connection with my family here. I wanted to come to China to see who they were and if there was something I could do for work with my engineering background. It's not about making money; it's about trying to see if I can contribute to society."
However, Chen said he did not feel his Chinese heritage granted him more benefits in terms of founding a start-up company in China.
"Many people have told me I don't understand Chinese culture. The government does not make it any easier for us to get visas or employment. Because we were born in the U.S., we are treated as foreigners," he explained.
In Chen's opinion, compared with huayi, the group of huaqiao (Chinese citizens residing abroad), are less likely to have language and culture barriers. For example, Chen could not register for a WeChat account for his business without borrowing a Chinese friend's ID card.
"How do you expect people like us to develop a startup when we are blocked from using basic means of advertising?" he added.
