A growing number of work opportunities exist in China, although some require language skills and you will need a work visa. Consult the classified pages of the expat mags in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou for a listing of work opportunities. These include English teaching, marketing, travel agents, creative English writers, editors, proofreaders, translators, bar staff and secretarial positions.

Teaching English in China
English-language teaching is big business in China. Opportunities abound for those who want to teach the language (and to a lesser extend other languages), or even other technical skills if you are qualified. You can expect to earn around Y100 to Y150 per hour or more if you join a private language school or business in a large city like Beijing or Shanghai. Some schools require that you have a TEFL (Teaching of English as a Foreign Language) certificate or equivalent qualifications; others only require that you have a university degree or possess native English language skills.

If you are employed as a teacher by a university, a voluntary or charitable organization, you can expect to be paid far, far less than this. In less laissez-faire institutions such as these, a maximum teaching load should be 20 hours per week and you can insist on no more than 15 (although some teachers get away with 10). Certain topics, such as politics and religion, are taboo in such educational frameworks, so avoid discussing them.

Doing Business in China
Doing business in China has long been fraught for Westerners, since Lord Macartney’s turkey of a mission to Chengde in1793 to develop trade relations.

Things are easing up rapidly, but even simple things can still be difficult. Getting licenses, hiring employees and paying taxes can generate mind-boggling quantities of red tape. Many foreign businesspeople who have worked in China way that success is usually the result of dogged persistence and finding cooperative officials. Many a Western been beached and not many has made any money.

Even when you think you’ve got everything all agreed to on paper, things can go awry when agreements are put into practice. Your Chinese joint-venture partner may change the terms of the agreement once business has commenced. Your copyrights, patents and trademarks may be pirated.

Your Chinese employees may walk out and start working for a new company just across the street producing exactly the same goods as you do. With China joining the WTO, the land should become less of a business minefield. Anyone thinking of doing serious business in China is advised to do a lot of preliminary research. In particular, talk to other foreigners who are already doing business in China. Alternatively, approach a firm of business consultants for advice.