Chinese Study Abroad Students’ Extravagant Lives Exposed

Sydney Opera House in Australia.

From Sina:

Our country’s study abroad students’ extravagant lifestyles in Australia exposed

Right now I am studying at University of Sydney, but I was previously a student at one of Australia’s well-known preparatory schools. A study abroad student called “Chen Yang”, before returning to spend summer vacation and while talking with schoolmates in China on QQ [a popular internet communication tool in China], revealed the extravagant and wasteful lives of our country’s male and female study abroad students in Australia. The truth/reality of those preparatory study aboard students’ lives had also shocked him greatly, even saying that there are definitely few parents of study abroad students who know the real situation.

I think: That reality is also something most of our countrymen do not know, that those study abroad student’s are completely different from the part-time working, part-time studying, diligently studying, always striving to improve image we have in our thoughts. The first time I saw the media report this, I was also very shocked, feeling it was unbelievable, that it was very difficult to image that those so-called study abroad students were attending school overseas like that, were “getting gold plated” like that.

1. LV is our school bag, and using Gucci would be considered lowered status.

Girl in pink t-shirt with jeans carrying Louis Vuitton bag.

In more than half of the study abroad students that came form Chinese schools, from “traditional monogram” to “checkerboard”, authentic LV [Louis Vuitton] can be seen everywhere, and not shortage of limited editions. These classic designs are priced 10,000 and above domestically in our country, as luxury masterpieces. In Australia, LV bags evidently are cheaper than in China, with mid-range being 1500 AUD (about 9000 RMB), but they are still luxury symbols.

Chen Yang said a schoolmate once carried an LV [bag] through Sydney customs, and the female customs officer asked him how much it cost. Upon hearing that it cost 1800 AUD, she joked, “You are so rich, I want to marry you”. Even though the exchange rate with Australian dollars recently dropped significantly, dropping from 6.5 kuai to 4 kuai, LV’s prices have not changed. When going shopping with several girls, every person each bought three or four items. He modestly said: LV is our school bag, and using Gucci would be considered lowered status.

2. Driving high-end, luxurious cars is commonplace.

Asian girl with white BMW 6 series.

I think two background points are worth nothing: First, the majority of those who are able to send their children abroad are either government officials or the rich; Second, even if they are an ordinary family, they too will provide the utmost financial support they can. LV is not the only symbol of wealth, Chen Yang said that there was also a schoolmate who bought a Benz in the first year, and then a BMW in the second year. And amongst his friends, Hummers are common, and even Bentleys. A bunch of luxury cars are often parked in front of the school, with everybody inside chatting and laughing inside is commonplace.

3. Girls all wear make up, nothing natural, gold-diggers.

Group of young people.

Chen Yang says the girls all wear makeup to class, reeking of smoke would not be an exaggeration, and nothing natural. In Australia’s empty large malls, there is always a bunch of study abroad students shopping for make-up., including Lamer (higher class than Lancome, a bottle of facial cream is over 10,000). Many girls insist on buying, either overdrafting their dowry early or relying on a boyfriend that provides food and shelter. In the eyes of Australians, this bunch of  prep school students are “tycoons”, dressed flamboyantly and behaving loftily.

4. Everyone has their own circle, and that circle is black society [gang, triad, organized crime].

Asian girl carrying boxes and bags.

Circle, circle, when it comes to preparatory school student lives, Chen Yang on QQ repeatedly said this word. “Because you are lonely, you want friends, and the people you know cannot possibly be just one person, so, you enter a circle.” He said that there are different circles for whether you have good grades, different circles for whether you drive a nice car, different circles for whether you use brand names, even different circles for whether you are homosexual.

To exaggerate a little, these circles are just like the little boys’ “factions/gangs” in middle and high school, with one circle’s people not liking the people of another circle, resulting in opposing circles. “Two people will have a problem and they will find an organization to do something about it”. The “organization” is black society [organized crime]. Chen Yang himself knows several members of organized crime. Chen Yang said he maintains his own student principles: No whoring, no gambling, no drugs.

5. There is an endless stream of Chinese boys and girls going to Australia to study.

People lining up to enter Louis Vuitton store.

It is said that Chen Yang’s prep school originally only had one floor, but after establishing relations with an agency in China, the endless stream of incoming students have now filled up four complete floors. Now over half of the international students in the school are all Chinese. There are even people who upon graduating decided to simply stay in Australia and start preparatory schools.

Building at night.

Comments from Sina:

随便唠叨:

Let me first grab the sofa. This kind of phenomenon definitely exists, but some study abroad students are still work hard and live plainly, diligently studying, for the glory of China [to be a credit to China and Chinese people]. I think those people who are exposed above must be “government official children”, “government official grandchildren” or so-called “rich people’s children”, “rich people’s grandchildren”. To those so-called study abroad students, our country’s favorite sons, I feel very sad!

9时30分:

Nothing new or strange. Many study abroad students are the sons and daughters of corrupt officials and rich people, the initial group sent before emigrating overseas.

我最爱热闹:

From what I know, the study abroad students to Australia I know are the children of rich people if they are not the children of officials.

Their academic grades are always poor. To be blunt, there’s not a single one who studies well. Just speaking of those I know.

zhiguo9623:

Don’t study but lots of flash, all are the sons and daughters of domestic corrupt officials and coal mine bosses, truly losing face for Chinese people them.

mlhddd:

So envy them, the materialistic dream that women yearn for, the have all realized, so awesome!

李国平药师:

Those corrupt officials and evil rich businessmen will definitely say: My child spending my own money is what fucking business of your’s?

梁子:

If you have money, spend more. If you don’t have money, spend less. There is no shame, just don’t delay or let it get in the way of your studies.

生姜老大:

Very normal. These days there are few study abroad students who go abroad after studying hard. Those who go abroad after going through hardships would cherish their opportunity. Only those who do not know how hard it is to make money would dare to squander/waste money.

欢迎你来唐古拉:

There are many people studying abroad in Australia, please don’t lump all of them together.

There are indeed many descendants of corrupt officials and rich people abroad, and that Chinese study abroad students are becoming younger and younger is also very apparent. But even with these preparatory and private school students, likewise tehre are even more students who come from China’s common ordinary families, for example white-collars.

I have never approved of children who are too young going abroad to live by themselves. This very bad for the child’s grown and development. But the popularity of this phenomenon shows that we have indeed lost all hope towards our own country’s living environment and education environment.

My descendants [children], if in the future they can go abroad, I will approve. However, it must be after undergraduate university or after, going abroad with  scholarships earned through their own academic performance, and only to well-known schools, so I do not have to prepare any money for my children. America is not like Australia and Canada, quickly building so many schools to cater to China’s “lots of money but stupid” people.

Of course, those people who don’t have the money themselves to send their children abroad, on the internet cursing corrupt officials and YYing a little to vent, also does not influence the fact that one day when they have the means, they too will send their children abroad.

火柴1982:

When we ridicule their material possessions, they are also ridiculing our poverty.

Don’t be lonely. Join a circle. chinaSMACK personals.

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149 Comments

  1. Isnt much different in the UK.

    Rich chinese are here too.

  2. “When we ridicule their material possessions, they are also ridiculing our poverty.”

    The most insightful information on this page.

  3. You’re all a bunch of haters.

  4. What’s the big deal? Indonesian kids in American college drives BMW, Mercedes and some Lamborghini. If you go to cities like Seattle, Los Angeles and San Francisco and visit the Mercedes Benz and BMW dealers, people in the dealers will know that Indonesians are real buyers.
    Well there is one thing in common though, the majority of the Indonesians in American colleges are of Chinese race.

    • “Well there is one thing in common though, the majority of the Indonesians in American colleges are of Chinese race.”

      That there makes no sense.

      • probably meant those indonesians are ethnic chinese.

        Deng Xiaoping was wrong! To be rich is not glorious…..to hate is to be glorious! HATE! HATE! HATE!

        HATE! HATE! HATE!

      • I think what he is trying to say is that most of these Indonesians are ethnic Chinese who are of Indonesian citizenship. There is a sizeable minority of ethnic Chinese population in Indonesia, who are perceived (accurately or not) to hold the majority of wealth in the country, not unsimilar to how the jewish bankers were viewed in Europe pre-WWII.

        • Most of indonesia chinese descendant is not rich,but middle class. They got their infamous reputation thanks to ex President Soeharto who used several of them as scapegoat (front) for his and his family corruption.

          Also lots of Indonesia student who drive BMW/Mercedes in USA is corrupt goverment official son. Out of 163 countries ranked Indonesia came in at 130th worst, equal with countries such as Central African Republic, Ethiopia, and Papua New Guinea.

          • I donno. Most of the Indonesians international students whom I’ve met say they are Chinese. The same with Thais (usually they claim to be either part of the royal family or Chinese, or both), Malays, and occasionally the Vietnamese.

          • That’s because the thai royal family is part Chinese:
            Thong Duang (Rama I) was born in 1736 in the reign of King Boromakot of Ayutthaya. His father was Thong Dee (later raised as Somdet Phra Prathom Borom Maha Rajchanok – the grand primordial father) who was “Phra Aksara Sundhornsat” (Royal Secretary of northern Siam, Keeper of the Royal Seal). Aksara Sundhornsat was also a descendant of Kosa Pan, the leader of King Narai’s embassy to the French court, and was of Mon descent,[1][2] His mother, Daoreung (original name Yok), was part-Chinese.[3][4][5] Thong Duang had six other siblings.

            However, by Chinese reckoning they are not. Since 1. they no longer resides in China and 2. they adopted local non-chinese culture. (even though ppl in China itself adopted even more non-chinese culture)

          • yeah,we pretend to not have the money back in Indo to avoid paying taxes..though the tax collectors basically feed their families from our bribes..
            so that’s why we get all the beemers n mercs n lambos in the US/overseas in general..

  5. Chinese is a minority race in South East Asian countries. Didn’t you know that?

  6. Unless their income are from less than reputable sources, there is nothing wrong or unseemly here. This just overreaction from those with anti-wealth mentality.

    The girls all wear makeup…

    That was so riduculous it made me lol.

    • Let us all try to imagine a day where all women are not wearing make up.

      OK

      And now let us never ever think of that ever again.

    • that was my first thought too.. sheesh, wearing make up is a symbol of affluence now? damn…

      and really, does it matter that these international students have money to burn? just the natural order of society that some are richer than others. you find plenty of kids like that here in china.. spending cash like there’s no tomorrow.

  7. Those kids have nothing to do with the Triads. They’re just spoiled rich kids who form cliques and like to act tough.

  8. This is ridiculous! Chinese students studying abroad should follow the fine example set by foreign students studying in China. Like these fine laowai, they should put their focus on their studies, respect locals and local customs, refrain from drink, and practice celibacy.

    • Put a cake in it, you fucking cunt. China, or at least Shanghai will never be an international city as long as its people refer to non-Chinese as laowai. The whole point-and-shout thing you creeps do is retarded. Grow up.

      • Rabbit, you are making the wrong enemies on this board.

        Cease and desist.

        DWR

      • Just because some people point and you don’t like it doesn’t justify condemning an entire city…

        Also, Laowai is not an inherently insulting term, it’s just that you seem to take it as such. (Perhaps you equate it with the ever so slightly more perjorative English term “foreigner”). Just because the shortened terms in English (mick, kraut, goomba) are racist doesn’t mean the Chinese ones are.

        And anyway, what would you tell a Chinese person to call you in English? Expat? (老外) American? (老美)Look, they have to call you SOMETHING, and they’re not going to call you Chinese. What do you want?

        • The people of glorious China could (but won’t) find out what country we are from first and then address us appropriately.

          If I call an asian person a slope in Australia I am branded racist. At least I don’t point and stare and try to have everyone within a 10 metre radius acknowledge my cunning intellect that allowed me to spot the slope to start with.

          I am sure the slopes would like to be referred to as Japanese, Thai, Korean or even Chinese.

          The Chinese are an extremely racist nation and that is the way it is. If people from laowailand can’t accept it we have no choice. Staying here or leaving, nothing will change it.

          Go and stick your ‘love thy neighbour’ head up your proverbial.

          • How hypocritical. What exactly is racism? Is it not an unfair generalization or sterotype on another race?

            People from China aren’t racist, except *maybe* against the Japanese. They merely are curious to see a white face, seeing as China is a laregly homogenous nation.

            I bet you’d be pointing and shouting if an alien landed in your city.

          • Sir, think hard about what you’ve just said, because there’s a huge difference between calling someone a “slope”, which is a very racist way of ‘othering’ someone and at once demeaning their physical appearance, and, er, “laowai”, which is merely something like ‘outsider’. If you can’t see the difference you need a reality check.
            I might complain about Chinese “racism” against outsiders but the reality is, for historical reasons, there’s far more race-bias TOWARD white foreigners in China than against them, so it feels a little pedantic. (see the article right here on chinasmack about the new apartment block which only allows “foreign-looking” people…) And every white English teacher in China knows about the jobs we get supposedly ‘teaching’ which is really little more than “turn up so we can have some white faces around”.
            What does bug me is the attitudes of *some* Chinese people (and probably an attitude prevalent throughout Asia) towards black people, as well as the attitudes of many of my Chinese friends towards the extremely ‘ungrateful’ ethnic minority groups, like those ‘smelly’ Tibetans and those ‘plastic-surgery obsessed’ Koreans. That said, the only reason blatantly bigoted views like those aren’t expressed in the West anymore is that we’ve had 50-200 years of civil rights and political correctness to make us behave, at least in public.

          • So by your reasoning, if I said Chinese people are stupid then you would call me racist BUT if I said Chinese people were smart then you wouldn’t call me racist?

            Fuck dude, singling out a race or races for any generalisation is racist. I call all asians slopes so does that negate any racist connotations?

            Sure I am a racist asshole by definition. I have serious gripes with people from Australia, France, and all other countries. That makes me racist because they are of a race.

            If I say people from northern China are taller than southern China, I am being a really racist bastard.

            So, go ahead and say what you want. I don’t really get upset about it. I am racist, you are racist, my wife is racist and my dog, Snookums, is racist. We are all racist and when “love thy neighbour” wankers try to tell others that they are being racist then they can go and bite a big racist turd.

          • lol. OK man, if that makes you happy.

            peace.

          • Yeah no hard feelings.

        • I find the term laowai insulting because it doesn’t have “ren” at the end of it, as do all words describing people. The word therefore objectifies the other person, pushing him or her away from the people in the centre (the zhonguoren). Chinese who use the term laowai also display their ignorance. They generally don’t know about the differences between various western cultures and therefore paint everyone with the same brush. How many westerners do we know who do the exact same thing to Asians? “Chinese, Japanese, they’re all the same.”
          Chinese people abroad still use that term (laowai) even though they could easily call the people around them by their country’s name i.e. Canadians, etc.
          Within China, let them just call people “waiguoren” or “tourists” like they do in other countries.
          From the hundred or so conversations I’ve had with Chinese people, it seems they have a long way to go.
          It’s too bad Canada and other countries are being filled up with ignorant Chinese.
          I wish I’d never gone to China, learned Mandarin and exposed myself to Chinese ignorance and the idiotic western sophistry that conspires to legitimate it.

    • lol well played!

      a semester abroad most likely entails booze, travel, and all sorts of fun adventures, plus some culture when you manage to sober up the next morning.
      the sad thing is, for most, it’s all going downhill from there, back to reality.

    • haha. What many of us Waiguoren might find weird about this is the amount of money these kids are spending and the way they seem to throw it around on extravagant lifestyles. Why…most of my NZ friends are quite happy without the gucci and LV, even if they can afford it, but rich Chinese kids all seem to depend on it to, what, make themselves feel better than…I dunno…poor Chinese kids? Nothing so extravagant about the way laowai in China live, and although they certainly aren’t known for respecting local culture, that’s not really the point here.

      Perhaps we shouldn’t ask why these kids are spending so much; instead ask why a “socialist” country gives such an elite group so much and leaves so many others with so little.

      • The idea of invoking how laowai live in China is to refocus the discussion on what causes people to live this way on their personal choices or image-consciousness, not their race, ethnicity, nationality, or culture. There are image-conscious materialistic people everywhere. It’s a common trait associated with the tacky nouveau riche, of which these mainland Chinese kids studying abroad often belong to, as was common for many Hong Kong and Taiwanese immigrant in immigration waves back in the 80s and 90s. As another commenter said, “parachute kids”.

        Asking why a “socialist” China gives such an elite group so much and leaves so many others with so little is like asking the same of a “charitable” or even “Christian” America (sorry, Jones, deal with it). It’s a loaded question. We’re all for more equal distributions of wealth or–for individualists–more equal distributions of opportunity. Trying to understand why some people live like those described in this post has little to do with Chinese socialism or lack thereof. It has far more to do with human narcissism.

        • Fair comments on those nouveau rich.

          The critique of ‘socialist’ China is like a critique of ‘charitable’ America, you’re right, and both critiques should be made. I can think of several good reasons why the American system doesn’t work, but when it comes to the Chinese system, I really don’t understand it. But it seems to be pretty good at protecting the wealthy and powerful.

          We’re not “all” for more equal distributions of wealth; there are many people who’d prefer that their privileged status is preserved. Someone schooled and indoctrinated in democratic liberalism like myself inevitably sees potential for abuse within the PRC’s power structure. Modern democratic checks on power like a free press, need to maintain popularity with voters, etc, seem not to apply in China, so what stops the rich and powerful party officials from sending their kids overseas to waste Chinese money on shitty Western brand names?

          • Ben,

            I agree with your criticisms of the Chinese system as it is.

            You’re right, not “all” are for more equal distributions of wealth. I was more or less referring to many of us here who find unfair scenarios, well, unfair and wish for more equal distribution of wealth or distribution of opportunity.

            Objectively speaking, I see the Chinese system as having certain advantages and certain disadvantages, a set different from that of systems built off of an ideal like democratic liberalism. I think we all (well, you know what I mean) wish there were some perfect system, but I think we all sorta know that there isn’t and the best we can do is to constantly tweak, even overthrow, our systems as we see fit. The Chinese “system” is changing. Not as fast as many of us like you and myself want, but not slow enough for its own people to drastically overthrow it.

            That’s life.

            Cheers for the civility and thoughts.

  9. “First, the majority of those who are able to send their children abroad are either government officials or the rich;”

    The children of rich business people I don’t really have a problem with, but I do have a problem with officials’ children living that kind of life overseas, especially when their parents spend their time spouting all that crap about patriotism and how China is a socialist society to the poor boobs who actually have to live under their rule. It would be good if people could find and name the officials whose children live that kind of life. This is a much more worthy cause than chasing upthe parents of people who happen to disagree on political issues (Tibet, etc.).

    Some people have touched on the other issue that these students are often overseas because they are dummies who failed in their own education system. Unable to get into Chinese universities, their parents have to pay through the nose for places in foreign universities, and they end up scraping through with mediocre results.

  10. I take it that most people on this board has actually attended university outside of China? What the Chinese students doing here is not much different from what most international students do. Contrary what people think, depending on which university they attend many of them actually study hard too.

    Fact of the matter is that these international students represent only the extreme wealthy in their own countries, and rich people like to spend money. Most of the regular students are envious, if not jealous of the international students’ spending habits.

    I don’t get the fascination with Louis Vuitton though. They are like the Rolex of handbags. They make good quality products but it doesn’t say much if everyone else has the same bag, real and fake. Plus the recent designs have been obnoxious.

  11. Poor Chinese student passing by.

  12. “it doesn’t say much if everyone else has the same bag”
    I’d say it says “Look at me, I’m a fashion clone”

    I often wonder if people go home with the wrong bag sometimes, when there is a high concentration of them.

  13. Most of these Chinese are buying these high end cars because its so much cheaper there. A BMW 3 series in a western country costs the same amount of a honda civic in Asia.

    And anyways you should know the people that have the biggest success after graduation are not the ones that get the best grades but the ones that made the best networks.

  14. You utter, vacuous dullards. Nuff said.

  15. I can testify that spoiled international students are a common sight in Canada as well. However, there are a selected few who try to make the best of of this opportunity

  16. At least #5 is correct there are 150,000 Chinese students in Australia and only 90,000 in the US. Population of Australia is 22 million, US 300 million.

    • It probably has something to do with the tuition costs and the ease of immigration.

      Over 40% of all grad students in US universities are Chinese nationals though. I don’t know what the number is in other nations but I would imagine lower.

  17. Ew. Why would anyone want to go to australia? That place is a racist haven. I’m not surprised they have to form gangs in order to fend off the hate crimes. Either way, I’d rather study in America than a place with a bunch of inbred descendents of scum.

    • AUSTRALIA ISN’T EVEN WORTH BEING CALLED THE TOILET OF AMERICA. AUSTRALIA IS SCUM. AUSTRALIANS MAKE AMERICANS LOOK LIKE SAINTS.

      • Anyone who disagree is anti-american.

      • usa#1 (aka roflcopter)

        Totally agree with you there. I went to australia a few years ago and those people are the dumbest, ugliest, sons of bitches I ever met. I am almost positive they are all inbred. A lot of them have weird asymmetrical faces and fetal alcohol syndrome. Once dated a girl there who thought canada was in s. america!

  18. I’d just like to point out that I know the girl in the second picture, standing by the white BMW …

    … and all of my Chinese friends claim that students go to the States on merit (scholarships paying for their studies), and those here in Britain are the brats that can afford the $50,000+/yr. Which, let’s be honest, isn’t many people (and even fewer Chinese people).

    To be honest, we have a lot to do to (1) clean up primary education so that all children receive equal opportunities; (2) clean up admissions procedures so that students are accepted on merit alone; (3) clean up tertiary education so that universities are temples of learning, rather than rich-kid stud farms.

    Something tells me we might not achieve that here on CS, but all revolutions start somewhere.

    DWR

  19. No whoring as a principle, I like it.
    Damn, it’s like an invasion of Chinese students. I see a lot of them at school, usually in little groups, not mixing with other groups except some girls with the local guys and rarely interacting with the local Chinese groups. Sorry, I digressed.
    What’s the big deal with LV’s anyway?

    • I went to china and I wanted to do exactly the same thing… stay in little groups of only western people.. cultural difference is too great, speacially for them

  20. WTF??!! The picture for number three “In the eyes of Australians, this bunch of prep school students are “tycoons”, dressed flamboyantly and behaving loftily” is from Rice University (a private university in Houston, Texas) NOT AUSTRALIA. I would know because I attend school there and recognize everyone in the picture as well as the architecture (Herzstein Hall). How did this picture end up on a Chinese blog about study abroad students??!!!

    • Look at the guy on the right, that’s also an American football, not a rugby ball. I am an expert on balls.

    • You’re probably not going to see this under the random tangent by Capt. WED, Tin of sardines, etc. but the pictures in the post are just random images the original Chinese form poster found and felt were somewhat relevant to what s/he was posting about. Not a single one of those images have much to do directly with the content of the post. For example, the first one looks more like an advertisement than a candid. The second one was probably used because it shows an Asian in front of an expensive car. Etc. etc. Sucks for the Rice University kids but when your photo is on the internet, it can get repurposed. None of them look like heavily makeup caked gold-diggers though. I guess the original poster was going for an image of “wild kids” instead of “studying over a book”.

  21. People are rich, so why do all this chinese care and whine for? Those who can afford the luxury items are of of course, rich. Nothing wrong with that. All I see in the TS is that he’s envy and start to pull in all those nonsense excuses to make him look like a saint and others like shit.

    • They probably whine because of their deep suspicions about how these kids’ families became rich.

      Also, there is always something vaguely disgusting about people who have accomplished nothing in life spending money that they did nothing to earn.

  22. The BMW picture is also certainly not in Australia. There is no front registration plate and the car appears to be lefthand drive. I work at a top Australian University by the way. I don’t think this image of mainland Chinese students is at all correct. Maybe it’s different in Sydney. There are of course plenty of Hong Kong and Taiwanese students too…

    • Yeah, I’ve seen the pic on various stories on the net. Its just a pic for the article as Australia drives on the left and the driver side is on the right.

    • you are right. Judging from the streets and tree in the back of the BMW it looks like California. I know those houses anywhere. The LV store has too many Chinese people lining up. Making me thing its still in China. Not rich people in western civilization lines up for LV because its really out of reach price wise for the average person unless its fake or out of season. The style of clothing the people are wearing are not western style or colors. The scheme of the boutique shop is so asia. Then there is the Group shot of the white guys with the token asians could be any where but the ball looks like a typical American college or NFL ball. Judging by the color.
      Last the picture of the lit city of Australia is still in developing stages. Thats the picture I see on CCTV 9 about how australia is opening its legs to all the chinese coming to their schools. This article is really showing the jealousy of a poor lonely china guy who couldn’t get any action or real footages of an overseas asian. So he searched these photos and stole them off some other site.

  23. This route of glamour and wannabe meteor garden crap has long been taken by the wealthy Indonesian Chinese elites in Australia. The Indonesian Chinese students are still coming but a long succession of other Chinese includes Singaporeans, Malaysians, Hong Kongers and now mainlanders have enrolled in private schools or college prep schools to get a guaranteed ticket to higher education as some of these prep schools have strong bonds with their parent universities. Brisbane is full of Taiwanese in prep schools.

  24. I have worked with many new Chinese abroad students when I was Science student ambassador. Plenty of the Chinese students, whilst probably fairly wealthy in China, came with very little money to Australia and struggle to support themselves while they are in Australia. The constant studying that that many of them do, does not allow them to socialise with other students and they generally struggle to make friends with anyone other than other Chinese students. They therefore form groups with other Chinese students (that are studying in Australia). The majority don’t form cliques based on wealth or intelligence or anything like that.

    These extravagent lifestyles mentioned are certainly far rarer than the struggle that most Chinese students undergo. This struggle would be made far easier if they could assimilate better into Australian (or other countries abroad) society.

    • I second this point of view.

      From what I have seen of the Chinese students in Australia (especially at the ANU), they are hardworking, diligent and frugal. Since they spend their time studying hard and achieving good scores, they end up taking on positions as doctors, lawyers and other highly paid professions. Good on them! Who can complain about people who work hard to achieve? They had a window of opportunity to study in Aus and took it.

  25. so what? just a bunch of rich kids. i don’t see what the fuss is.

  26. They might complain about the rich kids going on study abroad and not trying hard, but we all know that if they were in the same position they would be doing the same exact thing.

    In China, money is God that is all that matters here.

  27. Chinese hoes screwing foreign boys in a foreign land hoping to stay there.

    Undoubtedly they have encouragement from their parents to sit on foreign dick in order to stay.

    “Xiao Mei, make sure you keep your foreigen boyfriend happy.”

    “Yes Mom but his dick is so big and he wants to put it everywhere.”

    “Xiao Mei, if he wants you to kiss his little brother make sure you kiss it good. All the Japanese soldiers wanted me to do that and I learned not just to kiss but to suck like a super vacumn. I got more rice with maggots that way. So make your foreign devil boyfriend happy! And then later you can get your Dad and I out of this shit hole China!”

    “Ok Mom but he doesn’t have a little brother. He’s got a big brother. Like three winter sausages put together. And he wants to put it every where.”

    “Xiao Mei, it doesn’t matter where he wants to put it, you let him! And tell him you like it! You serve him and you serve your parents! Why don’t you tell him about your cousin. Maybe she could get a ticket to Aussie Land and you two can tag team him. I would but I think I’m a little old and worn out from the Jap soldiers.”

    “Ok Mom.”

  28. I find it very odd that so few people are questioning the authenticity of the Sina piece. Certainly there are Chinese students like this, but the article makes it sound as if Australia is bursting at the seams because it has too many rich rich rich Chinese kids.

    Lets see, no details are provided for the student that the writer mentions. We dont even know if Cheng Yang exists.

    And, of course, there are the photographs. Nothing says the pictures are related to the text, you know. I can find plenty of photos of Asian models next to hot cars, and probably many more of women carrying LV bags. Big whoop! And a crowd of Asians at the door of an LV store? Gee whiz, now that is a novelty!

    Remove the photos and the unsubstantiated claims, and you have nothing left. I guess it really is easy to sway the masses.

  29. Oh, and this bit is positively side-splitting: “Chen Yang on QQ repeatedly said this word. “Because you are lonely, you want friends, and the people you know cannot possibly be just one person, so, you enter a circle. He said that there are different circles for whether you have good grades, different circles for whether you drive a nice car, different circles for whether you use brand names, even different circles for whether you are homosexual.”

    Really? Does he really really mean that humans actually build friendships and social networks based on common interests????!!!! If such assertions surprise Chinese students in China, then I guess there really must be some truth to the claim that Chinese students are poorly adjusted socially.

  30. there has been a lot of anger lately in these boards of comments. i mean i disdain kai and his holier than thou ways, but gees this is just bad.

    there everywhere these intl students. usually when a country gets stronger they got more cash to spend right so of course some are going to throw it like water. back in my college days i have to admit the indonesians(chinese ethnicity) were the rich kids throwin down cash like it was nothin. friend of mine pretty much paid for his gf i dont know if i want to say literally, but close to it. he wanted to learn chinese from her (she was malaysian of chinese ethnicity) and i rembered stopping in his place one day with what looked like a wad of 100 bills like how rappers count their stash in a music video.

    in terms of corrupt officials sending their kdis to foreign countries ive dealt with some here and there of preparing them for going overseas. man the guanxi gifts are nice! one of them got me some of the finest rice and a box full of fresh river crabs (no pun intended*)

    • I’d love for you to articulate just what it is about me that makes you think I’m “holier than thou”? That I express my disagreement with people who behave in ways I find distasteful and offensive? That I explain why I find their behavior distasteful and offensive? How is any of this exceptional?

      Moreover, I can’t believe you’re still holding a grudge against me after all this time. I don’t think we’ve even argued before directly. I think you just dislike me for my disagreement with people you agree with. Furthermore, there’s at least one comment a week where you go out of your way to mention your “disdain” for me, where you throw an insult at me. And, it is usually out of nowhere, completely unrelated to anything I said. You’re never responding to me, and I may not even be in the comment thread. It’s like you intentionally try to talk shit about me when you get a chance. Really? Do you HAVE to regularly announce your bitterness towards me? Is that what you want to be known for? A petty grudge?

      Grow up and get off my nuts. Learn to deal with people who disagree with your conception of life and propriety. If you disagree with me, man up and learn to articulate your disagreement instead of throwing childish drive-by insults my way on random threads.

  31. This phenomenon is nothing new to those of us from Southern California. Parachute kids have been around in Los Angeles since the late 80′s. Except back then, the kids were Chinese mainly from HK, TW, Singapore, Malaysia, or Indonesia. Today, most of the parachute kids are coming from Mainland China.

  32. You think this is bad? That’s the shit-tier rich kids/gov’t. official kids. The real rich ones are in the UK and the major cities of the USA.

    • Yup. Oxford is simply lousy with them, all attending language schools and the like. I always wondered why I met so many people in China who claimed to have friends studying in Oxford (which only has two universities totalling maybe 20-30,000 students tops, of whom east-Asian students make up less than 20%), then I went there for an interview a while back and realised why – practically every third house there is a school for foreign students.

  33. These are China’s future leaders. Now I know there is no hope for China.

    • To be fair, I think most of the world’s leaders (political and business) tend to come from privileged backgrounds. Social stratification at its finest. Your background influences your access to institutions and tracks of power. That’s why we really admire the leaders who come from humble, especially ordinary commoner roots. They managed to break their ceilings.

  34. This article is entirely nonsense, I am not denying that such indivduals exist but they are in the far minority of Chinese Students currently studying in Australia.

    “In the eyes of Australians, this bunch of prep school students are “tycoons”, dressed flamboyantly and behaving loftily”"

    This, itself, is crap, I don’t recall anybody ever stating anything like that concerning Chinese students.

    • I concur. I am an Indonesian of Chinese race. I graduated from USA. Among my community of people, it is generally accepted that Indonesians that goes to Australia are of lower class than those who went to America. Buying LV bag doesn’t make one rich. They are just pretending to be rich. I have friends who graduated from Australia and none of them has family net worth more than 5 million USD. When they show off their cars, I just laugh at them quietly inside my heart. Come back to show off when you have a 5 million USD penthouse to live first. I think I am lucky enough to have a family to live in a 5 million USD penthouse, but no I don’t judge friends by money like these upstart rich people

    • I think some of this may have to do with undergrad vs. grad school.

      I don’t know about Australia but in the US you will find VERY few undergrad Chinese students from mainland. Undergrad international students regardless of their origins are typically from wealthy families. I think this has to do with the fact that full tuition scholarships are rarely offered for undergrads.

      The Chinese students I met at grad school were completely different. Most of them were on full scholarships and had part time jobs as TA. They were in the US because of their academic achievements and nothing else. Most of them lived on a light budget and could not go out and eat sushi everyday like we did when we were undergrads.

      • Essentially, it boils down to the fact that Australia has more Chinese undergraduates than America, but America has more Chinese Grad students than Australia.

  35. JustAnotherAsianWannabe

    most of the chinese girls end up at the karaeoke bars snorting coke, and on their knees suckin dicks anyway

  36. This article is talking about a tiny minority. I know plenty of chinese students in London and whilst basically all are rich by chinese standards, very few are living it up like this article suggests. Yes, a lot of them have designer handbags but that’s because they save up for it. There are a handful of girls that go shopping on Bond/Oxford street everyday and post about what they buy on chinese message boards but this is extreme behaviour.

    The rich ones i know of break down into, one guy who is basically laundering corrupt money for his parents; a few with just rich parents and a similar number of guys who run their own business and are raking it in whilst still studying.

  37. As an Australian born Chinese I can safely say that this is a common sight. They’re all just a part of the materialistic gen Y culture, nothing new. They live extravagent lives because they can afford to. I mean to get into the country as an international student costs a lot of money and it’s not a red carpet rollout. The parents need to have the upfront cash and also cash in the kitty back home to support their kids which is why mainly the mid to upper class are able to enter. Immigration rules are quite strict these days.

    • I disagree that the majority of Chinese international Students studying in this country are nothing more then spendthrifts, living it up all the time.

      Again, I’m not denying it happens, but only a small to moderate percentage of students.

  38. Article says:

    1. LV is our school bag, and using Gucci would be considered lowered status

    “jia de” gucci and lv?

  39. I teach in Australian University and I can confirm there is certainly a large number of these circles, as well as well to do overseas students who flaunt their wealth.

    However, I have seen equally an amount of very hard working, part timing students. The rich kids very rarely do well, and inevitably resort to cheating such as getting someone else to write and hand in their reports/thesis/essays. Which is quite obvious, as a distinction essay coming from a doll like plastic lipstick young woman who cannot talk her way out of a paper bag is rather suspicious.

    It’s a sad world, but the Uni is making a billion dollars off these ‘insearch’ students struggling to pass the most basic of academic requirements.

    • I agree, at the University where I have taught, the same occurs. However, inevitably, most of the students I find to be from Mainland China are diligant and hard-working students, not saying they’re entirely frugal, asides from the odd indivdual which you can normally spot a mile away.

  40. I can tell tell you that Chinese students in Germany (at least at my university) are not the uber-rich, but more of the normal kind. They often study hard (as far as I’m aware) – i’ve never been aware of any posing with their “wealth”.

  41. My sister works for a certain accessory company mentioned above, she says that there are actually very few Asians in general buying their products and often jokes about Chinese students bringing fake stuff in to the shop to get repaired. The few that do actually buy something always seem to need things chosen for them then stand around the shop posing for pictures.

  42. Hah, I don’t know what drugs they are smoking, making something out of nothing. But I’m an International student, and yes, there are rich kids from China, but there are also rich kids from Hong Kong, Taiwan …. and they are much more over the top. Most Chinese international students are pretty poor and low key.

    Also, money being money, study being study, most of these rich students will do horrible at school anyway, just cause they have money doesn’t mean they’ll be great at school or get any sort of an edge. In fact, it’ll probably effect their study quite a bit (which is what they are there in the first place). So who cares….

    Stop making contraversy out of nothing

  43. The picture in #3 is at Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA.

    • usa#1 (aka roflcopter)

      So pathetic that they can’t even find a decent picture of australia. So sad that australia has nothing to offer so they use a picture from AMERICA. Just shows what a shithole australia is.

      On a side note, Aussie chicks are FUCKING EASY! I recommend all the good ole’ boys go there. It’s like taking candy from a baby. Those hoes are experts at sucking mushroom tips. Never once met an aussie girl I could respect, but met plenty during a drunken lay. BITCHES CAN’T GET ENOUGH!

  44. There are quite a lot of undergrad students from the PRC in Australia. As I wrote there are more PRC students in total here than there are in the US. In the US it is mainly grad students. That’s because US visas are so hard to get and Australia thinks of higher education as a major export industry and source of good immigrants (until recently) instead.

  45. Dear Sir /Madam
    Would the person that reported this story has a lot to learn in life with Chinese students in Australia.
    1 That what he says is not the norm for Chinese students in Australia
    I am borne in Shanghia not Chinese Jewish we left for the Philippines Manila when Chairman Mao took over.
    I travel to China at least 7 times a year so dom’t belive all you read. I live in Sydney N S W Australia for 40 years web page http://www.baysidemiranda.com.au
    Regards Laurie Campbell P.h. D.

  46. This is not new.

    Anyway without generalization, most overseas chinese students study in here (Aust) are spoon fed kids extravaganzaly spending their parents money and live in luxury. Even me working here as an professional could not afford. My brother rented the 2 rooms in his basement to 2 chinese girls from mainland.

    These 2 are driving Lexus and BMW, and went to Europe (Paris, London etc..) every single school break last 2 years! Studying wise, bugger all! They seem to dress for going shopping rather for Uni.

    Wonder if their parents know what is going on.

  47. I’m not saying this phenomenon doesn’t exist, I’m sure there is a subset of study abroad students that subscribe to this sort of lifestyle, but this post seems fake. The part that gives it away is the female Australian customs officer joking about marrying the boy with the LV bag because he must be rich…seems very very suspect to me

  48. This article is bogus. All the photos are from the US, not Australia (left hand drive cars, wrong licence plates etc). I work in Chatswood (Sydney’s Chinese suburb in the wealthy North Shore) and you just don’t see this kind of thing. It’s all rubbish, designed to play on the money envy and resentment of 2010 China.

    • Took a look at the actual blog and the author basically said that whether the pics are true or not, it doesn’t matter. I would have to side with her on that point, visuals are just extra, lol.

      Anyways, I’ve taught some students who were heading to Australia and they couldn’t hold a very simple conversation if their life depended on it. On the other hand I’ve also had students heading to Australia and they were good students who worked hard to get where they’re going.

      Oh yah, the bad students; their parents obviously had money.

    • You know there is a problem when the blog owner trolls, and not just the blog commenters.

    • lol dude … i live in sydney as well and i can very honestly tell you that the article is relatively true. the difference is that fact that these circles are completely cut off and isolated from the mainstream abc/uni communities.

      on the other hand, i dont get what the article is trying to say, that rich people can live luxury lifestyle ? so what rich overseas students can buy cars and LV. why should they fcuking work shitty part time jobs like the poor international students when they dont need to. LETS ALL CONDEMN RICH PEOPLE CORES THEY HAVE IT BETTER THEN THE POOR PEOPLE. lol the ignorance and jealousy of people.

  49. australia is now hating Indians who come in great number for easy entry to migrate as cook and hairdresser
    these studies are for the poor asian students from vietnam china japan etc
    who can’t buy a car or lv bag

  50. What is so unusual..you can see this all over china today !!

  51. “Let me first grab the sofa. This kind of phenomenon definitely exists, but some study abroad students are still work hard and live plainly, diligently studying, for the glory of China [to be a credit to China and Chinese people].”

    lol at the thought that you think they study aboard to for their country. They did it for their own pleasure.

    • Especially as those that study abroad have to pay a fee to the government to compensate for the cost of their education (at least they used to, maybe this changed) – it is assumed they won’t come back.

  52. Ok, behave guys! You’ve made the bigtime. Congrats to chinaSMACK….check this out:

    Check this out – chinaSMACK, MAKES THE BIGTIME.

    http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100218/tc_afp/lifestylechinainternet

  53. Oh,I see.Going abroad is my dream.LV,what’s that?

    Why do these young chaps study abroad?Just they’ve a wealthy Papa?Maybe just.
    Now I’m understanding the habits of the sea turtles.

  54. In America we call this people the lower middle class, not even middle class based on what I see here but in China it’s called rich. lol
    C’mon, anyone in middle class can afford a LV bag even though some may find it expensive they sure can buy it saving a bit.

    I really don’t see this people as rich at all, just a bunch of middle(maybe high) class teenagers who are new to the first world standard of living thinking they’re pimpimg when they’re actually very far from it.

    That girl with a BMW means nothing, c’mon any idiot can take a pic in front of any car he sees parked and the airhead who said this “LV is our school bag, and using Gucci would be considered lowered status” has a very high probability of being an average middle class or less.
    Truly rich people(multi millionaires to billionaires) don’t say this kind of horse sh1t, only the shitty poor and middle class people make a lot of effort to stand out, truly rich people obviously don’t need that since results speak more than words, you know you don’t need to say you’re rich if you’ve been to like 20 countries and also drive a Ferrari. In real life scenarios rich people are quite modest when it comes to what they say about their wealth, did you ever hear Bill Gates say “hey guys I’m a baller’ you’re poor, Gucci is low standard”, c’mon!!! only street rats say such sh1t.

    I see middle class people from underdeveloped countries feel a major need to show they’re not poor. It’s understandable since nobody wants to be related to poverty but this girls are a joke and seem not to even being aware of being rich means in our world.

  55. Rich kids are everywhere, why don’t you write about the wasteful kids in China carrying LV bags? It’s the same sh*t everywhere, stop posting your double standard worthless article. As if I’ve never seen kids in Shanghai driving around in Lambos, Ferraris or Porsches, pathetic attempt to get attention with this article.

  56. All rich kids do the same. Unfortunately these have not been more rich kids posting sex videos on internet, which actually will do some good for common people.

    Difference is, rich kids in American has rich parents who make good business, but rich kids in China has rich parents who are government officials or mine owners. They get all the money through corruption and treating poor farmers or labors like real sh%t, and the money comes so easy that of course they would spend it like toilet paper.

    It is really sad that these poor farmers can not do anything. The sickening punishment has forced them to keep the mouth shut. (Too many dark stories from Chinese mines, almost darker than middle ages)

  57. I’ve been studying at USyd for 4 years, and here are my observations.

    1. Gucci bag was a 2006-7ish trend; it wasn’t considered lower class. They ceased to exist now because they’re no longer trendy.

    2. LV Neverfull is common, but nowhere near Int’l students’ school bag status. If memory serves me right, Neverfull medium (MM) is about AU$1K, keep in mind that one uni subject costs AU$3K, and one has to do 8 subjects per year.

    3. Sorry to disappoint, but not that many luxury cars parked inside/around the campus.

    4. Many Int’l students study harder than the locals, although not necessarily reflected in marks due to language barrier. (If you don’t believe me, ask the tutors.)

    5. Locals wear make up to uni too. It’s common phenomenon not worth mentioning.

  58. Extravagant lives exposed? … Thanks to mommy and daddy.

  59. stupid lie im from syd uni ………………….. who the fuck wears gucci bags?!

  60. Sounds a bit like the author is bitter and jealous. If there’s a problem anywhere, it’s that the rich Chinese students are evidence of a failure in Communism. No need to hate on Australia.

  61. It is now common knowledge among conspiracists U.S. government did invent a Time Machine in the 50s, however few people know that shortly after the machine was built a government agent lost the keys and they have been unable to find it ever since, a massive coverup ensued due to potential for embarrassment.

  62. good to know you’re put Omphalos hypothesis into good use, but I’m still a proponent of Brain in a vat hypothesis.

  63. If you love australia so much why are you in china?? Why do you even care so much about chinese news and what chinese people are thinking if you think Australia is sooo much better?

    Maybe you should go troll around in some aussie forums. You are such a pathetic, hypocritical, doucebag. Australians have nothing to be proud of – they stole their country from aborigines. As a western country, America is 10x better than australia anyday.

  64. Capt. Wed.

    You are funny. Not ‘Haha’ funny but more like someone stepped on a pile of alpaca shit ‘smells funny’ funny.

    (this said with an edgy face).

  65. Yeah but the abos didn’t really put up much of a fight did they? “Oh white cunt is coming onshore raymond, lets get our fucking spears… but first let me rape my kids.”

    Spears vs Guns = lots of dead aborigines and new home for convict settlers and lots of target practice.

    Too bad so sad… next!

    Not all Australians are racist Roflcoptor.

    Did an Aussie call you an ugly Chinese transvestite asshole… if not please accept this insult from me now.

    Australia is a great country to live unless you are Roflcoptor or an aboriginal child.

  66. So… America is not “stolen” from someone?

  67. Helicoptor chick!

    I agree with you!! Seriously A new beginning! between us.

    Yes, that Austrialia is having a hell of time putting out the racist fires burning!

    I think you will understand “Racism” see your last posts… its everywhere!

    Anyone see, Romper Stomper, great movie, pertains to this article!

    A friend of mine went there once, someplace on the goldcoast,

    he was walking down the beach and some, I believe the word is “holigans” surrounded him beat him to the ground and punched and kicked him, all the while, chating, “OZ” OZ” OZ”

    America was “supposed” to be build on “freedom” lets not dwell on that…. I know…. I know…

    OZ a former penal colony…. that I just dont know,

    the level of violence and hatred there puts them to shame,

    on another note,

    CrAcKbOoK now has a CCP fan site! Its great, just getting started

    Get on it get REAL! get your funk on need your help

    dickdines, Capt. Cock, YOU! and all the other birds

    lets see how much damage we can do there!

    SMACK SMACK SMACK

  68. News flash! Capt Wed is a cock.

  69. Since when has being a cock been a bad thing? I was admiring from a distance. *KISS*

  70. Is she aboriginal?

  71. Actually, Capt. Wed, some of the stuff you have posted in the past could pass as sarcasm.

    I guess you can join our ‘clique’… micro penis or not.

  72. Most of the changes are for the skilled migrant visas arent they? Didnt realise they included the student visas too.

  73. Hey King Tubby, I duno where you’re from but here in Australia, the brand counscious females ARE the Chinese, no doubt. Fashionably dressed or not, they carry LV bags, as if it’s the only thing that matters.

    THe Korean and Japanese girls are just fashionable, but I haven’t seen any with LV bags or anything that expensive.

  74. Yes, there are racist people in Australia. Does that make Australia racist? No. Because, if a few indivduals would deem a country racist, then every single country, China included, would be deemed racists.

    In cities like Sydney and Melbourne, Chinese are particularly integrated into the country, though that said, both are the most multicultral parts of Australia.

  75. One of my good friends from grad school was from Kuwait and I got to hang out with his group for a while. The Arabs are a bit different because their nations typically pay for their full tuitions to study abroad, and then give them something like $1,500 USD per month allowance.

    Yeah they are the best group to party with too. When I partied with the Asians we still had to wait in the VIP line at popular clubs, which can sometimes be still pretty long. With the Arabs, the manager of the clubs typically come outside to greet us and we go straight in. These clubs typically charge you a ridiculous amount for the VIP section (1 bottle of $40USD graygoose would be charged $300 in these clubs, and we had to order a bottle for every 3 person in the group), but someone in the group will always pick up the tab afterward with a black amex card.

    The idea of a party for most American college students involves someone’s trashed home and kegs.

  76. Undergrad Chinese from Mainland is very rare in the US. Undergrads from Hong Kong and Taiwan however, are very common. Most of the US grad students on the other hand are from mainland China.

    http://www.iienetwork.org/?p=56814

    “The annual statistics gathered by the Institute for International Education show that during the 2003-2004 academic year, there were 61,765 Chinese students at institutions of higher education in the United States. They are nearly 11 percent of all the foreign students in our country. Only one country, India, sends more students to American campuses.

    Most Chinese students in the United States – 82 percent – are graduate students. This is partly true because Chinese students in mathematics, sciences, and engineering are often able to qualify to be Teaching Assistants and Research Assistants, thus qualifying for free or lower tuition. These opportunities are not generally available to undergraduates.”

  77. Yes. I will admit that US kicks the shit out of Australia in every single way. Australia has no industries, tech companies, or anything worthwhile. America not only has beaches, but also industry which australia lacks.

    Most Chinese people like US better than australia. That is just a fact. AUSTRALIA FUCKING SUCKS. AMERICA IS 10000X BETTER THAN AUSTRALIA.

  78. China has beaches and industry… I can tell you which is a more beautiful country.

  79. usa#1 (aka roflcopter)

    Have fun living in your shithole aussie, while I make the big bucks in silicon valley! Everywhere I go people respect me and women wanna fuck me because i’m AMERICAN. Everytime you go someplace people think you’re a poor backwards misfit. f-u-c-k a kangaroo mAtE!!

  80. I thought P.h.D. meant Pretty Huge Dick, but since it is a she, P.h.D. would be: Permanent Head Damage (what then would be more closer to the truth)

  81. Hahaha you are so ‘outed’. Needing to pretend you are someone else so someone agrees with you!!! HAHAHA

    You are a confused little turd.

    It is so funny watching you humiliate yourself.

  82. Hey, give her some credit. Perhaps because she was born in Shanghai, she IS NOT A NATIVE ENGLISH SPEAKER?

  83. Haha I second that.

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