Is this true that many Chinese would like to get a green card in a Western country? Which countries would be the most desirable?

No, most Chinese don ‘t want to live abroad. They love China and don ‘t care about some far countries that seem unwelcoming, violent and somehow falling apart.

Many Chinese who have international experiences would like to move to Europe or the USA, mostly for their kids education and safety, but the decision is a very hard one.

I live in Lyon in France which is usually considered a very nice place to live. Few weeks ago, I was with a Chinese friend who lives here as well. He went to a very prestigious university in China. We were having dinner with a famous professor form the Chinese Academy of Sciences that was visiting from Beijing. The professor literally said to my friend : “If you have been to such a great Chinese university, how come you end up in such a small and unimportant city as Lyon?” He didn ‘t use the term “shithole” but that is pretty much what he meant.

Compared to cities in China, most Western cities feels small, old and backwards. The Chinese like it as a fantasy for vacation, not for a living.

This text was originally published in quora.