Wei: Do you think the experience of studying abroad will bring about changes in the values or political thinking of Chinese international students? Is there any pressure to try to stop such changes, from the government or from family and friends?

Millieon: I think most likely it would help, however, I think people have a choice to choose what and how to believe in and think, so I think a lot of people would actually stay in their own bubbles. The pressure you've mentioned might come from family or friends, because you might get confronted because of the political positions.

Wei: For you or most Chinese people, what do you think when you hear someone calling themselves "Taiwanese"?

Millieon: Speaking for myself, I would love to hear people call themselves Taiwanese, in fact, they are free to call themselves whatever they want; I call my Taiwanese friends Taiwanese as well, because standing from my own political position, I can't call Taiwanese Chinese; However, I can't speak for "most" Chinese people and I do know some will get offended by it.

Wei: What is the thing you are most proud of in contemporary China?

Millieon: To be honest, the things I am proud of is not about China in general, is more personal instead. I'm proud of my city, Beijing. It's a cool place with rich culture and a lot of interesting people.

Wei: Are there any common misconceptions about China by Taiwanese, or foreigners?

Millieon: I am not sure about the conceptions that people have on China, but I think a lot of stereotypes of China or Chinese people are biased. Like some men thinks that Chinese women would like to date them for their European passport, this for me is a deal-breaker. Another thing is that people pity Chinese people for being brainwashed enough to the degree that they are not able to think critically..I would say this is to some extent true but a great large number of people have the awareness of the problems of the system so that's a bad stereotype.

Wei: How is life in Beijing different from other cities?

Millieon: I would say it is the Beijing Priviledge, we have the best public resources nation-wide, the best public hospitals, the best schools, and it is the city with the most protection and attention especially in a crisis like a disaster or pandemic.

Wei: As Beijing is the centre of political power in China, are people living in Beijing more sensitive to changes in national policies, or do they have higher levels of political participation and more opportunities to work in the government?

Millieon: I would say relatively yes, people are acute to the political changes; It's not that because Beijing people got higher chance to work as the high-level officials, it's more of the other way round, most high-level officials are based in Beijing either because it is their hometown or as a result of relocation for work. In terms of the opportunities, it is easier for Beijing citizens to get a job in Beijing government, since sometimes the "Beijing Citizenship" is one of the requirements.

Wei: When you living abroad, what do you miss most about China?

Millieon: I would miss the safety and convenience, I would not worry about my safety wandering on the street 3 am, also getting a taxi home after going out is not that expensive so I don't need to wait for the night bus.

Wei: When you live overseas, do you have new understanding about China?

Millieon: Not particularly new understanding about China, but I did realize that the regime and dictatorship cannot be justified by how much wealth they make, and it will fall sooner or later because people need democracy like the air we need to breathe.





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