I'm in China

[Steven162]

Hi all,

Writing this because I am a bit bored and a few of you might be interested.

I left a good job at JLR last year and began a job at a Chinese company in Chongqing last August. Chongqing is normally a fantastic place, very vibrant, great people, a great metro system and very picturesque.

I get a long winter break, I left China just before Christmas and returned to China to start work after Spring Festival. I actually flew to China on the day BA said they were stopping flights to mainland China. I flew Heathrow to Beijing, then Beijing to Chongqing on Air China, I have never seen Beijing airport so deserted, 500 domestic flights were cancelled that day, new flights were scheduled using the big planes that had arrived on long haul flights to do a few domestic flights, I actually flew to Chongqing on the same plane that brought me from Heathrow.

I have now been in my apartment for 15 days, up until Tuesday this week I could come and go as I pleased, I went out every couple of days for groceries etc. everything is shut except pharmacies, where you are not allowed in, you stand behind a table at the door and ask for what you want, and a few supermarkets, you cannot enter a supermarket unless you pass the temperature test (temperature gun on forehead. On entry back into my community (walled area containing 13 high rise blocks of apartments, surrounded by a high wall with 4 entry exit points through security) temperature is checked again.

Supermarkets are quiet but have plenty of stock.

Work was supposed to have started on the 3rd of February, then it got delayed to the 10th, now its the 24th.

Things have changed now, on Tuesday this week I went to go out and found only one exit/entry point open. They would not let me out because I did not have a pass. I phoned a Chinese friend who spoke to security who then let me out. What my company didn't tell me was that I or they should have registered me with the community management when I arrived, although they did arrange for the Police to visit me on my first day here who gave me information about the virus. This means my first day here is officially Tuesday, so now I am not allowed out of the community for 14 days from Tuesday. My company are talking to the management company to see if the Police visit can be enough to prove I have been here for two weeks already to allow me a pass, which will let me go out every other day, if not no going out for 11 days. People who have not left Chongqing are allowed one person from each apartment to leave every other day.

The government delivered me a parcel of vegetables and my friend just arranged a delivery of beer, other friends can help me get food, all the online shopping apps are in Chinese so I cant do it myself. I won't starve.

To kill the time I have been learning Chinese, doing lots of free online OU courses, (now doing Learning to Code for Data Analysis) exercising and watching lots of TV, although my VPN has stopped working today. This site is one of a few that I can use with no VPN, obviously the CCP are not threatened by Lotus enthusiasts.

People are starting to slowly return to work, but its more office people working from home rather factories re-opening. The virus is being taken very seriously here. Some of my Chinses colleagues are still in their hometowns  because they have not been able to return to Chongqing after spring festival. Everybody is very bored staying indoors.

The Esprit is safely tucked away in my garage in Norfolk, it passed the MOT in January but I returned from a 200 mile round trip a few days later and the exhaust is blowing a little from somewhere around the wastegate, something to look at next January. 

Sorry for the long post, I will answer any questions if I can find the time!

Steve

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[SFO]

Interesting insight into what is actually going on in China

[scotty435]

Wow please keep writing and keep us informed we are not getting this information from our news outlets, please keep yourself safe and let’s hope things start to get better not just for yourself but the world in general, it’s scary times.

[Steven162]

A short update...

I got my pass today so I can leave the community once every two days, so I went shopping. The one person per apartment allowed out once every two days rule is now Chongqing wide. This means that it is very quiet outside,  I saw hardly anybody on my walk to the shop, which is not normal in China.

Again the shop had everything, no apparent shortages (except fresh bread) although most people were buying more than the normal amount of shopping.

Shopping here is very cheap if you shop in the local Chinese supermarkets, 24 big cans of decent local beer is under £4, fruit and veg very cheap. Some things are not available at the local shop, things like butter, cereal and Western brands, these can be bought at the foreign supermarkets like Carrefour, a bit expensive though.

Lots of small businesses are in real trouble, two Chinese friends who own bars have asked to borrow money in the last week, they closed a month ago and don't know when they can reopen.

TV is interesting, a screen now appears on my TV when I turn it on saying fight the war on the virus, don't go out, look after each other and that a load of films are now available to watch for free, these would usually be pay to view. 

In  my friends building in Suzhou they have a family who have travelled back to Suzhou after Spring Festival, they are on quarantine in their apartment for 14 days, a big sign on the door warns people of this, saying stay away, do not get close to these people, a CCTV camera has been set up looking at their door to make sure they don't go out.

One good thing to come out of this, I can cook some Chinese food now

 

 

 

[Barrykearley]

I’m alarmed at some of the videos I’m seeing on social media - I do hope that they aren’t true.

keep safe 👍

[KennyN]

As Barry mentioned, some of the news/social posts are concerning.  It is good to hear that some level of normality continues, albeit limited.  Stay safe, Steve! 

[LotusLeftLotusRight]

Guys, please make sure your anti-virus software is up to date before reading posts on this thread. You can’t be too careful.

[C8RKH]

Good advice. I am sat in front of my computer with a Haz suit and full plumbed in air recirculation unit. You just can't take any chances.

Ordered my wife a chicken chow mien last night. It's almost been 24 hours and she has no symptoms so was going to order one for myself tonight as it seems safe!

[Kimbers]

Really interesting post thanks for Sharing.

Must be hard coming from Norfolk and going to China and finding your way even to do the basics like shop at a Supermarket. Do the company offer you assistance and an interpreter etc? I can't imagine many people speak English.

 

[machine7]

1 minute ago, Kimbers said:

Do the company offer you assistance and an interpreter

From Norfolk to English?

[Steven162]

China is easy for me, I first came here in 2006 when I worked for Lotus, I have been coming back for work ever since, I spent halve of my 4.5 years at JLR in China, on 3 or 4 week business trips. The new job is a bit different as I live here, so no more business class flights, 5 star hotels and meals on expenses. During my traveling years I usually travelled alone, I soon realised that you just have to make things work, I've had a few issues, like checking out of a hotel, getting a taxi to the airport and finding all flights cancelled because of fog, returning to the hotel and finding it full and having to find another hotel.

Language at work is not an issue, most of my team speak reasonable English, the last hour every Friday is English lesson time, I will having them speaking with a Norfolk accent by the end of the year.

The things on social media, some are true, I have heard real horror stories, I have heard if you get admitted to a hospital your phone is taken away and there is no contact with relatives, the next thing they know is when either the patient leaves hospital cured or they receive a message to say the patient has died and the body cremated.  Many Chinese don't believe the numbers, thinking its an order of magnitude worse than being reported.

Westerner's in China, whether tourists, business visitors or expats only see the best 5% of China, there are terrible things here which would not happen in the UK.

Looks like work will start next Monday, looking forward to it but a bit nervous! I've now done 18 days in my apartment, I have to look at a calendar to find out what day it is.

 

 

[USAndretti42]

I have a friend who works for Great Wall Motors and sends regular newsletters to friends.  Luckily, his wife works from home but has been on extended leave and New Year celebrations with Chinese family members flyimg in were curtailed.

Some of the local villages have cut themselves off with signs saying, "Visitors not welcome."  Many shops and all restaurants are closed although McDonalds are providing a delivery service.  He receives long MMS messages giving the latest statistics about the virus and giving advice about hygiene, behaviour when outside, buying food and cooking, and storage safety.

[Steven162]

USAndretti42, that sounds right. I get a text from Unicom (my mobile company) every day in Chinese, I have forwarded to friends and they say the texts say things like "wear a mask, don't go out unless you need to, contact a hospital if you feel unwell etc.

People are desperately trying to return to their normal homes from their hometowns so they can resume work, there are many stories of people getting medical clearance, police clearance etc. to leave their hometowns and arriving at their work city to either not being allowed in, or allowed in but then not being allowed into their communities. In  most cities hotels are closed or have been taken over by the government as hospitals. There are people living in tents and their cars in several cities.

I am going to work from Monday, the whole department had to do an online test covering the new rules to return to work, I also need a work permit and work license to leave the community every day from Monday.

All restaurants, shops etc. still closed except for a few supermarkets, again plenty of food in the supermarkets that are open. 

 

[Steven162]

Quick update,

I have an Employment Certificate now from my company so I can leave the community to work whenever I need to. I went to work today, reduced hours 8.30 until 3.30. 10 of our team of 12 were in, 2 are still in quarantine. We are the Manufacturing Engineering team, we specify, buy and install machining equipment to machine cylinder heads, blocks and crankshafts and support Production. There are not enough production operators to start the lines this week so we made a schedule where each of us will work 2 days this week, I will work again Thursday. Work was OK, temperature check on entering plant, one after lunch, one on leaving the plant. Some odd behaviour, one being keyboards covered in cling film.

No change outside, no small shops open, no schools open etc. Several videos going round of people jumping from high buildings and of apartments of families doing quarantine literally being nailed shut for 14 days, they get 14 days food, the door is covered over with steel which is opened 14 days later.  

Just seen a message on the work WeChat group as I write this, they are suggesting we work from home this week due to a suspected local outbreak, not sure how local at the moment.

To put things into perspective, Chongqing Province has about 32 million inhabitants, five hundred and something people have been confirmed with the virus and 6 have died, many more than 6 people have not died in car accidents in the Province because there are fewer cars on the road.  

 

Steve

 

 

[Bibs]

On 24/02/2020 at 17:31, Steven162 said:

and of apartments of families doing quarantine literally being nailed shut for 14 days, they get 14 days food, the door is covered over with steel which is opened 14 days later.

They don't do things by half do they! 

[comem47]

[pete]

http://globalnews.ca/news/6588231/chinese-swat-team-coronavirus-video/

[Bibs]

Not sure how effective the fishing net is

[Barrykearley]

You’d be amazed how quick acting some nerve agents are

[Bibs]

Hey Steven, how are things out in China now?

[Steven162]

Thanks for the nudge, I've been meaning to update this for a few days.

Things are going very well, no new cases or sick people in the whole of Chongqing province, where there are 32 million people.

This is my 4th week back at work, the first few weeks were quiet because people were coming back from their hometowns and then doing 2 weeks quarantine, they are all back now.

Communities are still controlling exit and entry with a pass card and temperature check, you are only allowed into a community if you live there. Communities are  big, there are more people living in my community than my home village in Norfolk, all entering and leaving through one security gate, it has been the same all over China.

Most restaurants are open now for dining in, previously a few offered take out only, I had a KFC at the weekend for the first time, it was great! One bar close to me is now open. Shops are all open, pharmacies which stayed open but where you had to stand outside and ask for what you want now allow you inside. Banks are open but you must show your passport and phone number before you enter and to enter shopping malls you need to apply for a health certificate using Alipay or WeChat and show it on entry, same with taxis, buses and trains.

Masks still required at all times out side of the apartment, including all day at work, which is not so good as its getting hotter, 28 degrees today.

Friends traveling in other parts of China have said all restrictions have been lifted

Some backlash against foreigners as the news reports all new cases are people arriving in China with the virus, at the weekend some Chinese people refused to in a lift with me.

So all good here, as I watch the UK from afar

Steve

 

 

[C8RKH]

4 minutes ago, Steven162 said:

Some backlash against foreigners as the news reports all new cases are people arriving in China with the virus, at the weekend some Chinese people refused to in a lift with me.

This made me laugh, not in a good way, due to the total numbfooks in this country and in Europe who targeted innocent Chinese/Asians with "hate" in our communities here.  Glad there is some semblance of normality returning and hope the cases continue to decline as it is a clear indicator to us as to what is required. Keep healthy!

[comem47]

Is it common for all signs to include English on them in China? Just curious.

[Steven162]

Some do, some don't, I took this walking home from work yesterday 

[BatMobile]

Have the reports of people getting the virus for a second time changed the feeling over there or is it still a case of moving forwards?