I need to show a caucasian/western face for a few days in china. (Guangzhou specifically)
Being young and asian myself, I feel I am actually looked down upon sometimes. Factories and businesspeople in china seem to have instant respect for a white guy in a suit.

So, any thoughts on where I could find a guy (preferably cheap!) for hire (needs no credentials or education, as he's just there to stand around and look pretty) ?

Real Businessmen will not bother with this crap, so that leaves the students, backpackers, travellers, perhaps some english teacher-types.

Are there specific bars where they hang out in Guangzhou? or clubs? or hostels? any suggestions would be welcome.

Thanks!

damn, that's sad.  it's true, but sad.

You could try advertising on gumtree???

Lots of teachers on there.

Try to be a bit more specific, tell them they need a visa, or offer to pay for a visa, only 500HKD

hehe, yep, you know how it is!
oh well., just remember at the end of the day who's gonna be the real winner!? (hopefully me )

Yes, I know how it is.  Just as they've done for centuries, the white man -- with his big ships, big guns and big penis -- commands our begrudging respect.  Can't blame him.  I'd do the same if I came upon a backwards political economy with untapped resources and hot women.

Seriously though, do you think some clueless backpacker with a clip-on tie and no knowledge of your business, and probably zero language ability is going to help things?  Represent bro.  Be your own man.

Try placing an ad in craigslist for Guangzhou China.  You need rate of pay, contract info and how long.

http://guangzhou.craigslist.com.cn/

I be more worry when commies and Mao's followers shang bro bonker for such a sensitive advert on a China site.



Professionally speaking, I really dont see this showing the face of a westerner could really contribute in business negotiation.
Bonker are you presuming or you actually know the chinese factories' bosses will be influenced by a gwai lou presence by your side?

Over the past years, the big shots and associates in China that I came into acquintance in my line of work are never bias towards westerner nor Asian or towards skin color.
Business is business, they dont give a rat ass if u are a caucasian or not.......all they care is money in the pocket.

Over respect or inferiority towards the White? Long gone in China........at least from what I experience and observe.

[ Last edited by  hunter at 30-5-2012 11:01 ]

Will these "few days in Guangzhou" include any KTVs?

I'm pretty sure you're doing it wrong

why do i find this topic & request so funny?  

Why do you even need a foreign face to garner respect? For all I know, whatever foreign customers I bring to the factories, I would only expect a higher price. Besides, are you going to play and act with your "partner in crime" there? Factory owners are not stupid. They may not know the lingo but they can tell the reactions, expressions on the face and what things they are referring to. Instead you need folks who can "intimidate" the factory bosses with suffice knowledge, in order to bring down the price, else be there to be ripped off.

You can try the baiyun leather & textile wholesale area. There are lots of foreign buyers buzzing through the buildings. Pick up a conversation, who knows, they might be interested in your product as well.

you don't need a foreigner for this, what you need is a chinese govt official.

A Caucasian guy? That is so old-school when HK was still a colony and the west was expanding on their credit binge.

I think you should bring along an attractive, professionally-dressed Caucasian girl. Every HK company has a Caucasian guy on their payroll somewhere, but a hot Caucasian girl...maybe 5% of HK bosses have one. Get one and you may start a trend among the mainland factory owners to get their own Caucasian girl to add to their office pool.

reminds me of a story of a black friend I know who went to the ourskirts in china where there are few black people......everyone thought he was Obama.  People were following him & in utter awe.   So random thought.....get a Obama look alike!!

Yea, it sort of an interesting semi- social experiment.
I know it sounds ridiculous to some people and it may not even work, But its worth a try.

I've been visiting factories by myself for the past several years already. They don't necessarily look down but they don't perk up the same way when they have a white guy around.
The export assisstants in the factories claim to all speak english but can't speak or listen for shit. The white guy just needs to look interested and confident. I can small talk and mumble conversations to him about anything without them understanding.

And yea, there's a debate on whether the gwailos get higher or lower prices than asian customers. I've had the experience where I found a competitor was getting lower prices for the exact same product and specifications. Of course there may have been other factors involved (quantity was not one of them) so who knows. I'm not really decided on that one.
In the past, westerners represented BIG business - from large foreign firms that had huge volume. Nowadays it has shifted away a bit - the domestic market is very strong too so the local mainlanders are purchasing huge volumes too.

Sure it may look stupid on the outside, but it can only help - it can't hurt at all.

Ya know, if you google it you might find an article I read about a year ago about exactly this topic -- there is a company in Beijing that "rents" gweilos.  Really!  They rent them out for exactly the reason you want one.  I can't recall where I read it but do a search.  Frankly, I would be spooked bringing a total stranger into an important business meeting.  What if he is a crackpot??