While exact, current figures vary, tens of thousands of British nationals live in mainland China, with estimates from around 2018-2019 suggesting around 20,000, alongside many more foreigners (hundreds of thousands) holding resident permits for work, study, or settlement, though not all are English. Specific numbers for English (UK) residents are hard to pinpoint due to migration, but they're part of the broader expat community, with large concentrations in major cities like Shanghai and Beijing.
China is a vast, complex country with 1.4 billion people and dozens of languages and dialects spoken across its provinces. While English is taught in schools and many younger Chinese people can understand basic phrases, fluency is not common—especially outside major cities.
Welcome to Thames Town, China
In Songjiang, just outside Shanghai, you can take a quiet stroll through mock Tudor. streets, step inside a bright red telephone box and then navigate the cobbled streets to the nearest pub. Thames Town - as it is called - was built as part of a programme called One City, Nine Towns.
The major ethnic minorities in China are the Zhuang (19.6 million), Hui (11.4 million), Uyghurs (11 million), Miao (11 million), Manchus (10.4 million), Yi (9.8 million), Tujia (9.6 million), Tibetans (7 million), Mongols (6.3 million), Buyei (3.5 million), Dong (3.5 million), Yao (3.3 million), Bai (2 million), ...
🔹 What You Should Expect:
Many people won't speak English—even in tourist areas. Translation apps work surprisingly well. You'll often rely on gestures, pictures, and maps. Hotel staff in major cities usually speak basic English.
Shanghai's residents have topped the national rankings for English proficiency for the sixth consecutive year, Swedish education company EF Education First said during a media briefing in Shanghai on Wednesday.
An estimate published in 2018 counted 600,000 people of other nations living in China, with 12% of those from the US; that means approximately 72,000 Americans living in China.
The largest ethnic groups: The Han and Zhuang
Han Chinese represent more than 90% of China's population and roughly 20% of the world's population, around 1.1 billion people. Han Chinese derive from the Han Dynasty, which ruled for 400 years, making it the longest-ruling empire in China's history.
Though China is open to foreign visitors, be aware of political and cultural sensitivities. Avoid any demonstrations or large gatherings. The Chinese authorities enforce public order strictly, and you may face arrest, detention and deportation.
Level of Spoken English and Signage in China
Generally, you'll find more and better English speakers and signage in China's well-known, big urban areas in the north, east, and south (think Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong).
Hong Kong was under British rule from 1841 to 1997, except for a brief period of Japanese occupation during the Second World War from 1941 to 1945. It was a Crown colony of the United Kingdom from 1841 to 1981, and a dependent territory from 1981 to 1997.
China's "3-hour rule" for minors restricts children under 18 to playing online video games for only three hours per week, specifically from 8 PM to 9 PM on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays, to combat gaming addiction and improve health. Implemented by the National Press and Publication Administration (NPPA) in 2021, the rule mandates gaming companies use real-name verification and facial recognition to enforce limits, though some children bypass it using adult accounts.
Frisian is the closest language to English
The closest language to English is Frisian. This Germanic language is spoken by about 400,000 people in an area historically known as Frisia—now within the modern regions of Netherlands and Germany.
Many Western travelers report being met with warmth, curiosity, and occasional stares. But overall, Chinese people are known for their hospitality, helpfulness, and deep pride in their culture.
Asian – A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam.
The largest ethnic group is the Han (91.6), and the largest non-Han minority groups are Tibetans, Mongols, and Uyghurs.
The mitochondrial-DNA haplogroups of the Han Chinese can be classified into the northern East Asian-dominating haplogroups, including A, C, D, G, M8, M9, and Z, and the southern East Asian-dominating haplogroups, including B, F, M7, N*, and R.
General. There are 20,000 British nationals living in mainland China (source: Ministry of Public Security, Chinese Government) and 35,000 British expats living in Hong Kong. This compares to estimates of 30-50,000 Chinese non-student nationals living in the UK.
The current average monthly salary in China is $3000-$4000 US dollars.
As of late 2025/early 2026, India has surpassed China to become the world's most populous country, with both nations having populations exceeding 1.4 billion people, followed by the United States, Indonesia, and Pakistan.
In general, the Chinese people are known for being friendly and hospitable toward foreign tourists, including Americans. Many Chinese citizens are curious about Western culture and are eager to learn about your country.
🇯🇵🌏 Tokyo stands out as the most English-friendly city, with a plethora of English language services and the highest number of international schools. 🏙️📚 But don't overlook Osaka! Life in this vibrant city is about 30% cheaper than Tokyo, and it also offers substantial support for English speakers.
It really depends on what you're going to do with that $100. If you're living a western style of life with food, $100 US in the cities would be like $120 US maybe? It'll stretch out a little. But if you're eating like the locals, buying groceries and the like, this can be a small fortune.