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yamahuh · Joined: 23 Apr 2004 Posts: 1033 Location: Karaoke Hell

I taught in both countries and found Chinese WAAAAAY more friendly and willing to socialize outside of work than Taiwanese.

Not to say that Taiwanese aren't friendly but - my 2 cents - Chinese will go the extra mile, especially if you are a foreigner. When I was in China you were seen as a real benefit to the company / school and were treated like royalty by employers, students and friends. In Taiwan we appear to be 'valued' for what we bring to the table but not appreciated so much on a personal level.

That's fine - different strokes for different folks and all that - but overall I would say that Chinese are DEFINITELY friendlier.

yamahuh · Joined: 23 Apr 2004 Posts: 1033 Location: Karaoke Hell

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

yamahuh · Joined: 23 Apr 2004 Posts: 1033 Location: Karaoke Hell

Only me?
I think not.

You are the master of 'read between the lines' answers.
Why answer a question directly when you can be vague and evasive and then invent a hidden meaning for your reply?

Even your last post - supposedly justifying your previous posts - has nothing to do with the original question.

Are Taiwanese people friendlier than Chinese?

Jared · Joined: 07 Sep 2004 Posts: 319 Location: Canada

yamahuh · Joined: 23 Apr 2004 Posts: 1033 Location: Karaoke Hell

To be perfectly honest, I don't think it's particularly difficult in either country - you just have to be willing to make the effort.

As you'll see from my previous answer I think it was easier in China but that is just my personal experience.

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

Rooster_2006 · Joined: 24 Sep 2007 Posts: 984

I will add my two cents here. When I was in China, on occasion, I'd have extreme difficulty understanding what someone was saying to me in Chinese. And so I'd ask him to repeat it, and then he'd start yelling at me like I was some kind of a moron. This happened at least twice while I was on a roughly two-week trip. I don't think that ever happened to me in Taiwan.

scholar · Joined: 18 May 2012 Posts: 159

Basically you won't find much difference in the people from Taiwan compared to those from any other province of the PRC. Taiwan happens to be an island so because of the sea there might be a little bit of seafaring culture, but other than that I don't see why there would be a difference. No more different that, say, Missouri versus Maryland.

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

ickle_moose · Joined: 02 Jul 2012 Posts: 15

I've worked in both and found that Chinese people are very friendly on first meeting but then fade off, and Taiwanese people are more cautious on first meeting but will allow a deeper friendship to develop.

For example, a Chinese person will help you if you are lost, take a picture of you holding their baby, take your phone number and smile smile smile.... then you'll never see them again. A Taiwanese person will roll their eyes at you if you are lost (but help you anyway), take a picture WITH you, give you their phone number and laugh at your weird foreign ways.... then be your friend.

Obviously this is a massive generalization but apart from a few individuals in each place, this is my experience.