Wake up Singaporeans!
If you think you can walk into China now and become a consultant - of whatever type - please wake up! Today's China is technically, materially and monetarily stronger, better, fitter and more nimble than Singapore many times! Gone are the days when you think Singaporeans or Taiwanese or HKongers can teach the Chinese a thing or two... today, they can teach us instead!
Lenova, Haier, JingLong, TCL are but just some brands that are truly global. Chinese companies are now manufacturing under their own brand names and reaching out to every corner of the earth. They have tens of factories and sub-contractors, employ ten of thousands employees, conduct their own R&D and even their individual advertising dollars are enough to dwarf any of our own largest brand.
If you think you can walk into China and be a 'consultant' - do pay a visit to China - and be thoroughly convinced how small and insignificant Singapore is today compared to them.
However, China is indeed large and there still areas where you can turn it into your own advantage... such as living or retiring there. Many Singaporeans, HKongers and Taiwanese has done it... it's how much you want to do it.
Chengdu, Dalian and Qingdao have been voted the nicest cities in China. They are nice... but remain too far, too cold and too 'culturally-different' to fit in for most Singaporeans. Xiamen is also voted as one of the top cities, is near enough and not too cold nor culturally different for Singaporeans.
There are no restriction to Singaporeans buying properties in China. Sell your HDB and buy 3 units over there. Or rent out your HDB and live like a prince over there. Use the price difference to your advantage...before it's too late!
For those who think that China is still run-down, dirty and messy... think again. Do not use what you see in Geylang or Joo Chiat as a comparison... it's only the poor, uneducated, desperate and helpless that need to leave the comfort of their own home... just like the poor, uneducated, desperate and helpless that were our own ancestors just two or three generations ago.
Please go and see how the middle class and rich Chinese live life nowadays... mega-shopping centres, posh clubs, coffee cafes, restaurants, cinemas, etc all served by young, enthusiastic and smiling staff... unlike the unsmiling, lethargic and uninterested service staff we sometimes get back at home.
After decades of communist rules, the Chinese had not lost their hungry, probing, enterprising way - hence, many of them had found their way to Singapore and taken good advantage of PAP's generosity.
Yet, Singaporeans has lost their hungry, probing, enterprising way and are unable to see what are the advantages what China can offer us. So, stop believing the PAP propaganda that we can teach China, India or even Russia a thing or two.
Be humble. Go visit China yourself and then see what they can teach us. Or be enterprising... and take advantage of their lower cost of living by moving there.