Job Discussion Forums

[clandestine782]

Is it just my imagination, or do the prices for things in China never seem to move?

It seems like the salaries for English teaching have been the same everywhere for almost the whole time that I've been going and coming. If China is growing by 10% per year (as the government claims), then shouldn't the salaries for teachers be growing by at least that much as well?

It has been written that the big thing to fear from China is actually *deflation* (as opposed to overheating), and I am wondering if this may be correct.

[kev7161]

A year or so ago when the rmb was starting to be revalued (devalued? I get confused), I was sure some import food items would reflect this by having lower prices. So far I still see boxes of cereal at 50 kwai a pop and other such absurd pricing on items. So, I guess I don't get it . . .

[7969]

china is still not a true market economy, in the traditional sense. the government still has too much control over different sectors of the economy. what you're seeing is likely just wage and price controls by the state. deflation is a sustained fall in the price of a certain type of asset or commodity. thats not whats happening in china but when it does happen, overall declining prices can lead to declining salaries, closing of businesses, and more unemployment. as a result, governments should and do try to maintain a steady rate of inflation to prevent these negative things from occurring.

economies are very complex entitites......

[vikdk]

Try driving a car - the amount I now pay out on petrol compaired with 3 years ago certainly reflects the foreign market - even though its price is still very cheap compared with those found in Europe - and of course governed by yet another state monopoly

[Steppenwolf]

Local produce is pricier now than it was a couple of years back; the prices of imported foods have not always increased.
Travelling also has become more expensive; this is especially true of long-distance bus fares. Plane fares too are destined to go up according to the news, on account of increased fuel prices.

What has not gone up is the average salary of Chinese teachers; as for FTs - those salaries have for a long time tended to go through the roof, and they have remained relatively high even if FTs fail to appreciate this fact.

[poopsicola]

If salaries for Chinese teachers have not gone up, then they must have been doing pretty well all along. Where, otherwise, would these VG Golfs, Toyota Corolas and Camrys and various manifestations of Hondas and Mazdas have come from that are now spreading across the school campus at an amazing rate? Six years ago, the Principal here had a red van which he shared with all and sundry. Then he and other Principals moved to big black cars - Toyota Camrys. The staff followed suit. A lone blue car arrived owned by a staff member who led the pack - and the race was on. We began with no car parks. We now have 6 car parking areas. Cars are not the preserve of older teachers. There's hardly a second-year teacher here who does not now sweep in each day in a new red something or other. What is more, many teachers with no sense of hierarchy have taken to big black cars themselves, quite uncaring of the face of their superiors.

I meantime pedal along on my M188 bike while old Mr Wang continues to get good service out of his ancient Flying Pigeon, his wife, Lao Dong, remaining true to Shanks's Pony. But we are almost alone in these new days of teacher affluence.

Not only do the staff now have cars, they now go "motoring" and the long summer vacation sees them off to all sorts of places which, carless, I am forced to get to in the manner of other indigent vogageurs of posting fame - hard beds and four to a room youth hostels.

[Shan-Shan]

[7969]

[kev7161]

Almost all the CTs at my school carry around the latest, state-of-the-art laptops and I know those aren't cheap, esp. in China! The most modern cell phones and digital cameras make appearances all over the place as well. I don't see so many driving cars at our school, but several teachers/administrators DO have them. I see nice electric scooters as well.

I think, in general, Chinese people probably save more than your average FT, so that could be a factor (spending their children's inheritance!) and the opportunity to choose from a wide variety of brands in recent years probably is a new treat for many citizens. They are also going to know someone who knows someone who can get XYZ product at a MUCH cheaper price than your average laowai is going to find. Some Chinese are able to buy cars on credit. From what I understand, a foreigner has to buy all up front, no line of credit.

Visa cards are being peddaled everywhere these days as well, so the art of financing and living in debt is becoming more normal here too. My point is that CTs may or may not be earning moe these days, but they are finding ways to spend their money rather than just hoarding it.

[cj750]

Actually at Beanstalk International School in Beijing..the head cleaning lady and the head of the accounting division have new cars which they drive to work...the CTs have often committed on this being the fruits of the school's non payment of taxes and in holding out on payment in entirety for the CTs..
The Chinese teachers are making a low wage there but some of the Admin staff seem to be doing quite will in jobs that have not traditionally paid that well...maybe that the teachers and admin staff that is doing well are harvesting fruits of ill gotten goods....

[englishgibson]

"A school's cleaning lady driving a new car" ...and "teachers are underpaid" there ... quite a report I must say

[william wallace]

nil

[Steppenwolf]

I suffered a bout of mentalblackout upon reading those scientifically-supported, statistically-enhanced claims of "cleaning women driving Porsches" - claims made by some FTs, no doubt in the best tradition of piling nothing but truths and facts on the table...
Meanwhile, how many posts have we read of FTs complaining how much money they are not making towards repaying their own debts back home?

I can see we have different lifestyles; some grow up living indebted and constantly pushing a mountain of debts before themselves while others, notably the Chinese general populace, has no hope ofever getting a loan or a mortgage.

I too have never owned a credit card, and won't ever need one.

[SIH]

4,000RMB is a good wage if you are only working 20 hours a week. If you do say 10 hours of privates a week say at 100 RMB, in a month you'd be earning 8000RMB. You telling me that this end wage isn't good enough to live on and save at least some of your money? At the moment i'm working 40 hours a week in my desk job. I'd love to be able to work 20 hours a week and live well enough. You can earn and save money if you just don't piss it all away on things which you had to have back home.

[Bayden]

Don't forget, when you see those people driving thoseshiny new cars, that the Chinese have only recently been introduced to the concept of hire purchase. And just as they'll spend a months salary to have the latest phone, they'll commit to a down payment plan on a car for the very same reason, face.
I'm thinking the next big employment opportunity in China will be 'repo man.