In other cities, midnight is a polite cough telling you it’s time to go home. In Shenzhen, it’s the moment the city leans in, winks, and says: “Sit down, this is where it gets interesting.” The malls roll down their shutters like a theatre ending its matinée show — and outside, the streets immediately start the late-night premiere, with a bigger cast, a...

China has made new changes to how foreign workers are classified, and it could affect how expats apply for or renew their work permits. The Ministry of Human Resources announced that the country is giving more power to local governments to decide which foreign professionals are most needed in their area. Before, foreign workers were grouped under three main types — Category A (top...

While the weather has been a little unpredictable of late, when the sun does shine and you’re looking for a spot of alfresco dining or drinking, there is no shortage of stunning rooftops and terraces here in Beijing. To kick off this series, we're going to take a look at some of the rooftops and terraces situated around the Sanlitun and Gongti area, so grab your sunglasses and go...

Most Africans arrive in China and start off in survival mode. Finding a place to sleep. Figuring out visas. Taking whatever small job comes first. Trying to understand a system that moves faster than anything they’ve seen before. It’s a normal beginning — but it shouldn’t be a permanent lifestyle. The turning point comes when you shift from surviving day-to-day to...

Ever booked a hotel in China, rolled in with your suitcase all excited, only to hear that dreaded line: “Sorry, we’re not qualified to accept foreigners”? Yeah… me too. Awful. It’s been repeated so often it might as well be part of the hotel’s welcome script when a foreigner walks in. And the reason they give? “According to the law…” Well,...