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Q: Are there discrimination's against Africans in China
From a series of inquiries I've made from friends and colleagues, I am bothered by the fact that Chinese employers rarely see Africans as capable and ethusiastics to fill in vacant positions. Most friends send their resumes and they are looked over just for the simple fact that they are not native speakers even when the job discription does not match teaching English. Some friends I spoke to are simply turned down just becuase they are blacks, and this isnt really about playing the race card...the facts are there....but to prove myself wrong I would like to find out from our netizen community here if I am wrong to ask whether Africans in China face discrimination. Even though there are some Africans I know are in good positions and working environment....I am told, and wih first hand experience, how difficult and frustrating it is for an African with credible qualifications to sucure a well paying job.
10 years 7 weeks ago in General - Other cities
welcome to China: where your race and your sex can work against you regardless how experienced and qualified you are. 
ironman510:
Agreed with Sorrel. Sometimes a company chooses a worker just like choosing a pair of shoes meaning the shoes must match the clothes. So applicants have to match well for the company and the needs of the company. If a school, they will find a match thats pleasing for the parents eyes and the native language role.
Techtronix:
You don't have to be African friend. You you are any color other than white, you will be discriminated against. Latinos, Indians, and Arabs all share your pain. It is just a sad reality of China. It happens extensively in America as well but at least you can sue and make a few bucks when you are wronged in the States. Not here in the Middle Kingdom. If you cannot adapt and blow it off, it will be a miserable stay for you. Chinese suffer from a superiority complex for sure.
Cricket:
I read in another thread that Chinese do not think about discrimination the same way we do in the West. They see every choice as being a "preference". And I guess when it is your money paying for anything, you pick your own preference. Maybe this is not discrimination at all?
sorrel:
@ cricket:
tell that to any African American who was offered a job, only to have the offer withdrawn when a photo was provided.
You asked Q, and then you answer it too!
There is 'discrimination' in China, or I (Caucasiod) would say: 'Every employer has the right to choose the most suitable person to fill his/her job opening'. Everywhere in the World is the same.
Native English teacher of Asian descend, overweight person, African, South American, African American, or any other reason employer can think of it, to deny job applicant.
Farmer in China is not too noble profession, because farmers have tan from working outside.
Chinese mostly don't like sun and sun tan. I love sun exposure, especially after the Winter. In Summer, Caucasians lay whole day on the beach, just to get tan.
Chinese open umbrellas, when they must go out on the sunny days.
In my office (School), window is covered with curtain on sunny days till my arrival. Chinese teachers open the curtain, because I told them I like sun.
In the classrooms (9 -12 Y old students) is the same. On the sunny day, curtains are all over the windows, and the light is turned on.
Of course there is no racism.
There's no more racism than there is unemployment, poverty, social tension or overall unhappiness. Why do you even need to ask!
I'm white, and since I'm in China I've been only with Chinese people, can't tell first hand.
Looking around on the web, I found this:
A black-American (not African, but the locals the difference is thin) with a crush for China shares his experience http://www.tealeafnation.com/2013/07/chinese-raciality-and-black-reality-in-china/
Well written article, circa-2012 http://www.chinaafricaproject.com/africans-in-china-guangzhou-discrimination/
An interview of a guy who study the topic http://www.chinaafricaproject.com/adams-bodomo-discusses-his-research-on-africans-in-china
The website hosting the latter article have tons of interesting reading about Africa & China.
DrMonkey:
While reading the articles about Chinese people working in various African countries, I grin : "Ho, the cars move away to make some room when an ambulance is on the road ! Ho, and people say hi to each other ! And they are not happy is you throw your money at the counter, litter around, or act like a sociopath like back home ! Ho, people takes time to have a life ! Ho, the sky is clean and blue !"
The Chinese mind displays functional rigidity at its finest. They think in hierarchies, and feel no remorse when placing people lower down in their 1-dimensional worth-ranking system. You should feel pity for them, because most of all, this thought pattern hurts their own ability to participate in a racially sensitive world. It is promoted by a government that seems determined to make the entire population rude, stupid, pigheaded and nationalistic. It will take more than a lifetime to undo all the damage done. In the meantime, expect people here to behave with a level of awareness/responsibility you'd usually attribute to schoolyard bullies and their cowardly entourage.
how about hong kong macau & taiwan ? same or different ?
coineineagh:
Different only because there are educated people there who are the focal point of the local copying culture. Mainlanders advertise their feelings of superiority because they are encouraged to do so; the rest still feel superior, but won't bother you with it so much. Also, since foreigners are less rare than on the mainland, you'll be singled out and stared at less.
I meet many Afro-American teachers at Wuhan Hubei every weekend which portrays the picture to me as there is no such thing. May be there are some institutes who prefer white skin people and they have the right to choose according to mindset and requirements. As per from my local folks they dont like Black people without telling any further reason.
You don't have to be African friend. You you are any color other than white, you will be discriminated against. Latins, Indians, and Arabs all share your pain. It is just a sad reality of China. It happens extensively in America as well but at least you can sue and make a few bucks when you are wronged in the States. Not here.
Yes, it is quite obvious. How many of your black friends in China ever get more than a 30 day visa extension unless they work for an embassy?
