"lao wai", short for people from elsewhere. this is then split into "wai guo ren" [people from another country, foreigner] and "wai di ren"[people from another part of the country, from out of town]. both surnamed “外â€, but one in the hearts of the people are elite magnanimous and high-class. whereas the other kind are often ridiculed "you're such a country bumpkin."
in beijing, there are up to seven million “lao wai†who have come from various parts of the motherland. there are about 200,000 laowai from various parts of the world. china, as a country of etiquette since ancient times, when it comes to how it treats its international friends, is of course all about showing great consideration and hospitality. a foreigner who comes to beijing to work and live can enjoy this series of "super-national treatment" [preferential treatment above the country's own citizens] whereas "wai di ren" *cough cough*, as one of our own, let's just not quibble over a some self-sacrifice, okay?
although there is only one chinese character different between "wai guo ren" and "wai di ren" where are the other differences? firstly, house. if "wai di ren" want to buy a house in beijing, they have to pay five years of social insurance or have proof of having paid five years of individual taxes before they qualify to buy a home in this center of the universe. if you happen to have had a break in the middle where you changed jobs and didn't work for two months, or if your employer unfortunately also happens to be non-local,
congratulations, you've won the lottery, make another five-year plan [of working for a local beijing employer paying social insurance/individual taxes to beijing]! however, it’s much easier for foreigners. you only have to work one year in beijing, then you can buy a home, sell it, buy, sell, buy, sell, buy, sell! secondly, taxes. one can never get away from paying taxes living in this world. working in beijing, any citizen who earns more than 3,500 yuan per month has to pay taxes. whereas foreigners…
due to [government] worries that high prices may result in them being unable to get enough to eat or have enough to wear, only if they make more than 4800 yuan, do they need to pay taxes. if foreigners want to start a business in china, there are even more preferential treatment and happiness. not only can you register [a company] easily and smoothly, what is even more important is, you can get no taxes! tax cuts! and more tax cuts!
thirdly, children. as long as you're a chinese citizen, you better have less children and plant more trees. whereas foreigners, you can have as many as you want, you can even have enough to make a football/soccer team and it's no problem! naturally, once you have children, they'll need education. as long as you get a "chinese green card"long-term/permanent residency] foreigners' children can enjoy the same educational treatment that local people’s children get.
as for the children of 'wai di ren", schooling in beijing? taking the "gao kao" college entrance examination in beijing? impossible! previously there was a report of a "wai di" child who lived in beijing with his "wai di" father, but in his senior year of high school discovered that he could not take the "gao kao" college entrance examination. so, he could only go to his mother who was far away in america, and after getting an american green card, everything was immediately solved.
“teacher, this is my proof of admissions to the test, a green card.†“no problem! the "gao kao" welcomes you, and 10 points extra!†though this was fake news, as long as a foreigner has [long-term residency in china] you indeed can participate in the gaokao in beijing. once in university, a high-end, luxurious, high-class foreign students dormitory is immediately available for you to move in. with air conditioning, dear! "wai di ren" can only be jealous, envious, and hateful!"
you see, in order to let foreigners blend into beijing better we truly bend over backwards and do everything we can! being a foreigner, is quite nice! as for "wai di ren", we might as well talk about the problem of achieving world peace. however, what if “lao wai†don’t want to live in beijing anymore? the haze [pollution] that lasted half a year made many foreigners consider returning to the embrace of their motherlands. whereas wai di ren...
“darling, i wanna go home…†“fuck you! you are only allowed to come back after you've paid off the mortgage!†"what is this?" "we're all 'lao wai'..." "...but why is our treatment so different?" because confucius once said, “is it not delightful to have friends come from afar?†it's just that the further they are from, the more delightful it is. "what?!"