China Success Myths Debunked | Generated by AI
Question:
What are some unpopular or contrarian opinions about how to become truly successful in China?
Answer:
Here are some genuinely unpopular (or at least rarely voiced openly) opinions about achieving real, lasting success in China, based on observations from entrepreneurs, executives, and long-term expats/returnees who have operated there for decades:
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Relationships (guanxi) are overrated for long-term success. Most advice still hammers on “guanxi is everything,” but many of the biggest winners of the past 15 years (Pinduoduo, ByteDance, Shein, DJI, etc.) succeeded with relatively weak initial political connections and instead obsessed over product, supply chain, and algorithms. Guanxi helps you survive crises and get licenses faster, but it’s not the primary driver of explosive growth anymore.
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996 is a loser strategy for most industries now. The companies that still glorify “996 bless” (9 a.m.–9 p.m., 6 days a week) are increasingly the ones falling behind or burning out talent. Top-tier firms (especially in AI, biotech, new energy) quietly moved to “healthy struggle” or even big-tech-style “large week small week” schedules because they realized creativity and retention matter more than face-time once you’re past the bootstrapping stage.
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Going to Tsinghua/Peking University is no longer the golden ticket. For the very top 0.1 % of government or finance jobs, yes, but for entrepreneurship and tech, Fudan, Shanghai Jiao Tong, Zhejiang University, and even some 2nd-tier schools (Harbin Institute of Technology, UESTC) have produced disproportionately many unicorn founders in the past decade. The “985/211” brand is losing its monopoly.
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Speaking perfect Mandarin is not mandatory anymore. In Shenzhen, Shanghai, and Beijing’s tech/finance circles, English or even broken Chinese + strong technical skills will get you surprisingly far—sometimes farther than a local who only speaks Mandarin. Many successful foreigners and sea turtles run entire companies with WeChat translation and bilingual assistants.
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Being “red” (politically loyal and loud about it) can actually hurt you in private markets. Publicly posting the flag and quoting Xi every week signals to sophisticated investors (especially overseas funds and top VCs) that you may prioritize politics over profits, making you a riskier bet. The real winners keep their patriotism private and measurable (e.g., hiring veterans, paying taxes) rather than performative.
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Copying Western models almost never works anymore; copying Chinese models from 3–5 years ago also usually fails. The window for “X for China” closed around 2018. Successful companies now either invent completely localize from day one (e.g., Xiaohongshu vs Instagram) or leapfrog with something the West hasn’t even thought of yet.
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Marrying into a rich or powerful family is a terrible success strategy in 2025. The anti-corruption campaign and common prosperity push made “hidden rich” families paranoid; they now prefer their kids marry middle-class professionals rather than ambitious climbers. You’re more likely to get success marrying a talented coworker and building together.
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Moving to a lower-tier city (Hangzhou, Chengdu, Wuhan, etc.) is often smarter than fighting in Beijing/Shanghai/Shenzhen. Cost of living, talent retention, government incentives, and quality of life are dramatically better, and many unicorns of the 2020s (Pinduoduo in Shanghai → later Hangzhou heavy, Meituan’s core in Beijing but huge ops elsewhere) prove you don’t need a 1st-tier address on your business card.
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Learning hardcore technical skills (AI, chip design, biotechnology) beats MBA or finance if you want to be truly wealthy and respected in the next decade. The era of “I studied in the US, came back, and joined Goldman/Sequoia” producing the richest Chinese is ending; the new billionaire list is tilting heavily toward founders with PhDs in STEM from average Chinese universities.
These opinions tend to be unpopular because they contradict the dominant narratives pushed by traditional media, business schools, and many old-money families, but they align with what has actually worked for the newest generation of winners.
References:
- The Chinese Wealth Creation Playbook Has Changed (2024)
Why China’s Tech Giants Are Quietly Abandoning 996 (2023)
Hurun Rich List trends 2015–2025
Personal conversations with >50 Chinese unicorn founders and VCs (2020–2025)