Actually, I made a good friend just a few weeks in. If she didn't graduate and leave, we'd still be hanging out. I consider myself lucky. It's difficult to make friends, but since there are very few expats here, I made quite a few Chinese friends.

I'm the same. I haven't been here as long as you. But I don't have any Chinese friends.
I have to be honest and say it because they hard to connect with. I have many Chinese acquaintances, I don't have that one friend I'm close with. We think too differently. And I think also I don't like how they openly ask questions all the time. I know it's the way things are here. But I don't like that. They are nice. But it's been hard for me too.

to many friends

it depends on the city.  my first cityi made a good friend in my first week. during the winter holiday another friend. during my 1 year there, made many good friends.  most students though, but not the "practice english" we hung out and talked about their secrets and problems.  here in this city, 1 year in , nothing . everyone seems to just want to use me. people in the north are more friendly and less deceitful.

7years here and I can honestly say I have friends from Canada, USA, Australia, England and Ireland....but not china.

Maybe you could meet people through a hobby?

usually a friend has similar interests to ones self.

you need to find a common tread and that can be hard

also if you work in a large place it is harder to get to know somebody

hope it gets better for you

I have always had more women friends, I make the locals laugh with me, not at me. I asked someone today what people thought of me, crazy foreigner? She said, no they think I am fresh. Unfortunately ( or not)  I'm surrounded by beauty salons, so guess who I get to joke around with mostly? I meet many women that work in KTV or massage parlours. I see three types, the ones that think they are goddess, the just nasty ones and the rest seem nice enough. OK, I have a weird life in China, 

Two nights ago night I took a motorcycle taxi home, then realized I didn't have enough money, I tell him trust me I pay you later. His wife is on my scream team ( he listens), So yesterday I went to the bus station to meet my girl friend and he says Hi to me and I give him 10y ask if enough, he nods. Then last night i meet him and I know he's asking for money, I have to use my phone translator , funny I know what they say with out understanding words, and GF don't understand or listen to me. So I'm telling I pay you at bus station remember?, By this time, there is starting to be a ring of people around us. Then i say who did I pay your brother? I tell him I pay the wrong guy, I think he is you, you guys all look the same to me (have to do with smile) so every body started laughing, i gave him a 10, now every time I see him i tell him i want my 10 back cause I pay him by mistake. He just laughs.

its been a long time i am here in china but same as xunliang i don't have a true Chinese friend you can say i've got lot of friends but you cant call them friends you can just call them time pass friends 

I like to think of friendship as a kind of informal relationship. By their very nature, friendships aren't part of the institutional fabric of our society. However, they arise through our institutional participation. We are driven to resist the structure imposed on us by the institutions, and as we encounter others who are experiencing those same urges, opportunities to forge friendships arise.

I'm a very stingy person. I've learned that in one sense, you must spend money to acquire friends. True friends can't be bought but if you don't go out and waste money on bars, food, movies, music, etc. you won't ever have the opportunity to meet people. It is weird, but if you talk to someone on the street they won't be as friendly as if you talk to them in a bar. If you are truly poor you can have friends through your common experience of poverty. However, for those of us who are just stingy bastards, it can be hard to make friends.

I don't have any genuine Chinese friends, just a handful of western friends; I did try at first but have essentially have given up now

That's a long time to go without having someone to hang with buddy. You sure need to get some people help and learn how to talk to people and make friends. First off when you see someone act like you knew them for like 10 years or like you grew up with them. Be friendly to them and they will return the favor. The best advice I got was to act like you know them and don't be shy at all. Treat them like you would your old friends you remember how you treated your old friends and how much you had fun bring that same energy to your new friends. 

just to clear things up for mattaya, i have friends, but none of them are Chinese

I have a good handful of Chinese friends I actually will phone and hang out with.

I've got lots of good Chinese friends, peoples i've met on buses, or been colleagues with mostly... but you meet some cool people at bars on occasion, though filtering is a must.: )

3 years, 4 good friends.

Three years and only two real Chinese friends. A bunch of acquaintances.

I have real Chinese friend who I owe him a lot, I treat him like a brother. We are friends for almost two years I never give up any friend till he does.

Almost the same as Rin. 4 or 5 very good Chinese friends, about 20 or 30 "friends," and... billions of aquaintances.

Never had this problem. Have been here for 5 years. Have four very close [Chinese] friends: three women, one guy. I can talk to them about anything but mostly it is them talking to me about anything, haha.

I am not sure that Chinese people actually have any "real" Chinese friends. Just people they meet and keep close so they can exploit them at some point. 

How many times have I heard this phrase, "I want to get to know them because I may need something from them later".