In ‘The Swiping Game: How Expats Navigate the Dating App World in China,’ our cover story, we guide you through some of the highs and lows of using dating apps as an expat in China. The anecdotes are laughable and genuine.
Dating is an arduous task. The technology from this century has simply given us too many options. Meanwhile, we’re inundated with gossip magazines, romantic comedy flicks and social media influencers sending mixed messages on how dating should be done.
Let’s throw in the additional barrier of being a foreigner in a new environment here in China, and you might suddenly feel like you’re navigating a minefield blindfolded.
Below, we walk you through the world of dating apps used in China and hear the good, the bad and the ugly of dating app experiences.
It’s Complicated
China is home to more than a million expats. The seventh Chinese census, released in , reported that there are currently 1.4 million foreign nationals living on the Chinese mainland. A healthy portion of these expats is likely single and ready to mingle.
Additionally, many foreigners studying or working in China will date outside of their ‘expat bubble,’ meaning there are a lot of potential partners available. The seventh consensus also reported that more than 51% of the total population are male and nearly 49% are female, in theory giving female expats more options to choose from.
“With so many cultures, nationalities, languages and backgrounds mixing together, the hookup near me Boulder dating and relationship scene takes on a whole new landscape…we feel it’s important to have a platform to talk about these issues”
Dating as an expat can be difficult. You have to navigate language barriers, cultural differences, family pressure, different expectations and cross-dating.
In Beijing, long-term expats Rachel Weiss and Nathan Williams set up a podcast and event platform called Date Night China as a way to offer advice and support to people who are navigating this new environment for the first time.