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Unposter
Joined: 04 Jun 2006
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Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 5:14 pm Post subject: Chinese Companies Rent White Foreigners |
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Sound interesting or even familiar...
http://www.cnn.com/2010/BUSINESS/06/29/china.rent.white.people/index.html?iref=obnetwork
Beijing, China (CNN) -- In China, white people can be rented.
For a day, a weekend, a week, up to even a month or two, Chinese companies are willing to pay high prices for fair-faced foreigners to join them as fake employees or business partners.
Some call it "White Guy Window Dressing." To others, it's known as the "White Guy in a Tie" events, "The Token White Guy Gig," or, simply, a "Face Job."
And it is, essentially, all about the age-old Chinese concept of face. To have a few foreigners hanging around means a company has prestige, money and the increasingly crucial connections -- real or not -- to businesses abroad.
"Face, we say in China, is more important than life itself," said Zhang Haihua, author of "Think Like Chinese." "Because Western countries are so developed, people think they are more well off, so people think that if a company can hire foreigners, it must have a lot of money and have very important connections overseas. So when they really want to impress someone, they may roll out a foreigner."
Or rent one.
Last year, Jonathan Zatkin, an American actor who lives in Beijing, posed as the vice president of an Italian jewelry company that had, allegedly, been in a partnership with a Chinese jewelry chain for a decade.
When is being foreign a career advantage?
Zatkin was paid 2,000 yuan (about $300) to fly, along with a couple of Russian models, to a small city in the central province of Henan where he delivered a speech for the grand opening ceremony of a jewelry store there. |
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Bloopity Bloop

Joined: 26 Apr 2009 Location: Seoul yo
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Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 5:29 pm Post subject: |
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To be honest, I am, on occasion, quite jealous of whiteys in Asia for stuff like this. |
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lukas
Joined: 22 Aug 2009 Location: Bucheon
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Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 10:19 pm Post subject: |
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ah, getting things for doing nothing other than how you look. Now I know what it's like to be a mildly attractive female.  |
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rollo
Joined: 10 May 2006 Location: China
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Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 10:49 pm Post subject: |
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This was addressed on another thread. I know people who are doing this. I have ben a front several times myself. I just never made the good money like a few do. There are people who are given a nice wage free apartments, car with driver just to play golf, and show up at dinners, to make the company look globalized . |
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DorkothyParker

Joined: 11 Apr 2009 Location: Jeju
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Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 11:11 pm Post subject: |
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I wish I could get in on this. Maybe I'll just put up a Craiglist ad: "Vaguely ethnic-looking white girl for rent. For when your party doesn't require a Russian model or hooker." |
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PigeonFart
Joined: 27 Apr 2006
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Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 3:17 am Post subject: |
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It's totally lying to potential business partners. Very unethical. Rediculous and unethical. |
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chellovek

Joined: 29 Feb 2008
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Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 3:27 am Post subject: |
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Bah I get drunk and do no work in my present job anyway. Would like a job with higher pay though... |
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Easter Clark

Joined: 18 Nov 2007 Location: Hiding from Yie Eun-woong
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Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 3:58 am Post subject: |
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PigeonFart wrote: |
Rediculous and unethical. |
I thought it was rather bluediculous, myself.  |
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BoholDiver
Joined: 03 Oct 2009 Location: Canada
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Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 4:32 am Post subject: |
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I am for sale for the right price.
Hint hint (if any company is reading) More than $300. |
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travel zen
Joined: 22 Feb 2005 Location: Good old Toronto, Canada
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Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 4:49 am Post subject: |
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This has been going on for decades from India to Japan. Very pathetic if you ask me. Do you really need to show off a foreigner to look like you are going somewhere ?
In my high school in the 90's, a lot of Hong Kong gals were doing 'all they can' to get a white guy. Yes, a white guy.
This was a little before the yellow fever craze, now 'partnerships' must be on the rise  |
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metalhead
Joined: 18 May 2010 Location: Toilet
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Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 5:11 am Post subject: |
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It is common in China, I knew a Mexican guy there that was approached while walking in the street to parade as an office worker in a Chinese company for a couple of hours, the pay was 150RMB an hour I think, same as teaching part-time pretty much.
Also, yazi (which is duck in Chinese but means gigolo when referring to men) are in high demand there, too. Booming economy = richer people = bored older women looking for cheap thrills. |
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joeleitz
Joined: 23 Feb 2010
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Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 8:46 am Post subject: |
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It sounds like a sweat deal if you're half good looking and somewhat fit. A nice gig that requires no references, work experience or background check. Count me in.  |
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Forward Observer

Joined: 13 Jan 2009 Location: FOB Gloria
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Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 12:54 pm Post subject: |
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Was watching the news the other day where this group of homegrown terrorists, or "sovereign citizens" as they call themselves, believe that the U.S. government is selling shares of newborn American citizens (Or their future) to foreign countries like China for example. I really can't explain it, and I don't have a link for the comment or the belief, but it was a comment in passing made by the news anchor.
crazy people. |
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Forward Observer

Joined: 13 Jan 2009 Location: FOB Gloria
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ThingsComeAround

Joined: 07 Nov 2008
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