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Sign up with Google Sign up with FacebookQ: Is there a Foreign Affairs Commitee in your city?
Good Day everyone.
In my sleepy little city somewhere to the south of Guangzhou, a new group has formed called the **FAC (Foreign Affairs Committee).
So what? I hear you say.
This group of self appointed "representatives of the foreign community" grew from an organisation created to cater for returnees from foreignerland to manage whatever issues they experience. The committee, itself has grown from a half a dozen to a score or more. There are attemps to create some sort of local government relationship and there is a CCP member in attendance at all times.
According to local anecdotal evidence, the interpreter of the core organisation became friendly with some foreigners at a local watering hole and they decided to create a committee to discuss issues of concern to the expat community. Subsequent membership (invitation only) appears to be from their circle of friends and drinking buddies. The membership appears to be exclusive to those of white anglo-saxon descent and meetings are conducted exclusively in english. This is somewhat ironic as according to the local newspaper less than 20% of the 2500 registered expats here are anglo-saxon. Some 70%+ are Japanese or Korean. The population of the city is around 4 million registered citizens.
This group is seen by most expats who have heard of it as a bit of a wank and a bunch of wannabes.
The big issues that they bother the local government with mostly revolve around illegal parking, although most, to my knowledge, don't own a car. Again to my knowledge, most of the members are working illegally on business, tourist or marriage visas.
My question is: do you have a group of expats in a committee such as this who apparently are desperate to be the next big token stars of youku? Or are there other try-hard wannabe high profile groups in your community?
Not aware of anything in GZ though I don't mix with the type of people who want to be on these sorts of committees.
I subscribe to the wechat group page of the one you're referring to and actually find the translated articles generally interesting though I do understand your sarcasm related to the group members. I'm guessing one of the key self-appointed ones is a certain known murderer of good songs? He's been known recently on his wind-swept desert of a website to rant about bad parking.
Hotwater:
Ps. I'm in your town tonight for a few beers with a certain bald, overweight, tattooed Anglo-Saxon if you fancy a beer and admitting to me who you are. It'll keep your identity as our little secret, I promise.
iWolf:
If possible I will get out but there is a family dinner tonight.
The song-serial killer was one of the founding members until he got the arse and was refused visa renewal. He slithered back under the rock from whence he came.
Hotwater:
He's gone at last? Yippee! Something to celebrate tonight then
Is this similar to Yangshou a few years back when they had foreigners working as coppers?
iWolf:
I'm sure that turned out well...lol
This lot will want to be parking inspectors if they hear about that
Hotwater:
I'd love to have the right to dole out tickets here for driving/parking offenses, on a commission basis. I wouldn't need a normal job as I'd make a killing!
Shining_brow:
Or as a walking red-light camera!! :) A fortune to be made in that!
And, at 50RMB/hit, I'm pretty sure I could get drivers to actually stop at pedestrian crossings...
Sounds like a bunch of white guys thinking that if they pal around with the party people they will get mad guanxi. As far as the inner workings of a one-party state, I follow Solzhenitsyn's advice...and stay far far away.
iWolf:
Certainly the party guy will be laughing with his mates and making plans for their collective futures. Possibly different plans than they expect.
There's a new organisation here in my town that is making very good connections. Not claiming to 'represent' any foreigners, but is trying to get things more foreigner-friendly!
Yeah...sounds like a group of self-important busybodies. Harmless but probably annoying.
The worst part, is the fact they are tolerated at all shows how much of a joke they are seen as.
Imagine a group of migrant workers setting up a worker's council or something. Get shut down in 2 seconds.