SerpentZA and Other Vloggers

[Randy W]

This seems overly dramatic and lengthy, more so than it is interesting, but it is interesting, if you have about 28 minutes to spend with it. The word 'trapped' in the title seems to be just click bait.

 

My guess is that the police were investigating the doctor more so than they were him. If the video mentions WHEN the interrogations took place, I didn't notice. Dec.? Jan.? or later?

 

[Cale1953]

It could be subtitled "Life in a Police State" . It reminds me of accounts of people who lived in the Soviet Bloc pre 1989.

Obviously it is the doctor who they are after, not this guy. Ultimately it is his wife's family who are threatened, not him. There is still some value to being an American. If he was South African or Canadian it would be different.

Before Xi Jinping, China was a soft autocracy. Foreigners who kept their noses clean could do more or less what they want. That is not true any longer. Foreigners can still have a good life, but their permissable actions have been circumscribed.The circle is getting smaller. You might have to make propaganda videos like Gweilo or Dumbrill. And choose your friends wisely.

[Cale1953]

 

C-Milk is an American citizen, who filed DCF for his wife while they were in China. During the process, he dropped by here, and on VJ.

 

He got an exit visa for his child, while renouncing her Chinese citizenship. Winston will need to do the same thing, but may be required to appear in person at the PSB. They will need to rely on travel permits to allow the baby's entry into China unless he is able to do that.

 

Hi Guys, I am Laowhy86 on Youtube CGI Status Question

 

What happens if Winston doesn't do that?

I have heard him say on video, and seen him post on reddit, that he can not ever return to China.

[Cale1953]

I saw this question on another forum and it did make me curious. Does anyone know how Winston (SerpentZA) managed to legally immigrate to the US with his wife? Did Laowhy set up some sort of company to sponsor him on a work visa? Is he here on one of the "talent" visas (eg O visa)? Did he come on a tourist visa and apply for asylum LOL?

Good question. I'm pretty sure he is not on a tourist visa or applying for asylum.

I've heard him say it was long and complicated, but as to the details, I have no idea.

[Martin B]

It could be subtitled "Life in a Police State" . It reminds me of accounts of people who lived in the Soviet Bloc pre 1989.

Obviously it is the doctor who they are after, not this guy. Ultimately it is his wife's family who are threatened, not him. There is still some value to being an American. If he was South African or Canadian it would be different.

Before Xi Jinping, China was a soft autocracy. Foreigners who kept their noses clean could do more or less what they want. That is not true any longer. Foreigners can still have a good life, but their permissable actions have been circumscribed.The circle is getting smaller. You might have to make propaganda videos like Gweilo or Dumbrill. And choose your friends wisely.

 

I think the biggest difference is that if you're looking to have a "real" life as a foreigner in China (marry, raise kids, live full time and work in China etc.), it is now much more difficult to do so. Not that it was ever really that easy to begin with. But visa enforcement used to be a lot spottier and foreigners were generally tolerated to a higher degree. Unless of course you're someone like Daniel Dumbrill who is loaded, lives in one of the richest foreigner bubbles of China, sends his kids to top international schools, has access to the best healthcare in Shenzhen/Hong Kong etc. Even he made sure his kids were born in Hong Kong, not the mainland...

 

Of course the perma-tourists like Gweilo that don't need to worry about education, healthcare, housing, jobs etc. are always going to be okay in China, or in most places for that matter. Especially when you can escape to Canada/USA/Europe in a pinch.

[Martin B]

 

C-Milk is an American citizen, who filed DCF for his wife while they were in China. During the process, he dropped by here, and on VJ.

 

He got an exit visa for his child, while renouncing her Chinese citizenship. Winston will need to do the same thing, but may be required to appear in person at the PSB. They will need to rely on travel permits to allow the baby's entry into China unless he is able to do that.

 

Hi Guys, I am Laowhy86 on Youtube CGI Status Question

 

 

I'm pretty sure it's irrelevant, I highly doubt Winston will ever be returning to the mainland. If I were him I would be extremely nervous about the wife and kid going back as well, especially since the kid would need to go on a Chinese travel document.

 

I think Winston's wife is in an incredibly awkward spot. She was a physician in Shenzhen and probably had a really good life. After she married Winston, she gave up everything and moved to the US. Now she's associated with someone who the Chinese government considers a criminal, and whose full time job is making YouTube videos that rail on her home country. I'm sure she feels at least a little nervous about returning to China. Her Chinese MD is enough to get her a job at Target or a Chinese restaurant here in the US - getting credentialed in the US as a physician is incredibly time-consuming (7+ years). And she has to deal with raising a newborn with no family support... I wish them the best but it ain't gonna be easy.

 

But if I were Winston, I would have stayed with Beer Girl, moved to HK and gotten a job as a teacher, and lived it up in my favorite place in the world.

[Martin B]

 

 

I saw this question on another forum and it did make me curious. Does anyone know how Winston (SerpentZA) managed to legally immigrate to the US with his wife? Did Laowhy set up some sort of company to sponsor him on a work visa? Is he here on one of the "talent" visas (eg O visa)? Did he come on a tourist visa and apply for asylum LOL?

 

I've wondered that myself. I doubt that he and C-milk could have arranged it themselves. I think he said something about a "business visa" at one point, but I have no idea as to exactly what it would have been. I doubt that YouTube would have helped him, but you never know.

 

 

The typical business visa is the B1 visa, but that would only allow him to stay for up to six months.

 

I've heard of some YouTube "celebrities" getting O visas. I believe there is an accompanying O-something visa for spouses. It allows for a 3-year stay and unlimited 1-year extensions. It does not allow you to adjust status, however, which would make me nervous. I assume C-milk has some sort of "media company" that vouched for him. H1b would also allow for two 3-year stays, as well as adjust status if the sponsoring company is will to pay, although I'm not sure someone like Winston would qualify. Possibly an L1 visa as well.

 

I still think the asylum claim is possible, given he's a white man from South Africa whose days in China were numbered. It could take years before his application is adjudicated and I believe he'd be able to legally work and live in the US while awaiting his interview.

 

 

I also forgot he could be here on an EB-1 visa... this would probably be ideal as it allows for adjustment of status.

[Randy W]

 

 

C-Milk is an American citizen, who filed DCF for his wife while they were in China. During the process, he dropped by here, and on VJ.

 

He got an exit visa for his child, while renouncing her Chinese citizenship. Winston will need to do the same thing, but may be required to appear in person at the PSB. They will need to rely on travel permits to allow the baby's entry into China unless he is able to do that.

 

Hi Guys, I am Laowhy86 on Youtube CGI Status Question

 

What happens if Winston doesn't do that?

I have heard him say on video, and seen him post on reddit, that he can not ever return to China.

 

 

 

His wife may be able to take care of it herself, but if they can't renounce the child's Chinese citizenship, then she will have to rely on travel permits from the Chinese consulate in the USA. That's assuming of course, that Sasha would want to take her child with her to China.

 

In any event, it may be a good idea for them to renounce her citizenship anyway

[Cale1953]

Our old buddy gweilo60, noted media critic, makes the Chinese news again.

 

 

Gweilo60 is a YouTube channel that shares the life experiences of foreigners in China.

In this video, Kirk Apesland, who runs the channel, and a Canadian who has lived in both Canada and China, talks about how Western media manipulate the masses with the language they use.

Apesland is hoping that audiences will become more aware of the bias in the news after watching the video.

 

 

https://news.cgtn.com/news/2020-04-06/Canadian-YouTuber-hits-out-at-Western-media-bias-PtoOeBkTfi/index.html

[Randy W]

He also made China Daily's Weibo, which he posted about on Facebook

 

The video included in the post , slightly over 3 mins. from the end of one of his videos, is at

https://m.weibo.cn/status/4498236020678688?sourceType=weixin&wm=9006_2001&featurecode=newtitle&from=timeline&isappinstalled=0#&video

 

https://m.weibo.cn/status/4498236020678688?sourceType=weixin&wm=9006_2001&featurecode=newtitle&from=timeline&isappinstalled=0

【加拿大视频博主：西方媒体就是不愿承认、不能承认中国做了好事】加拿大视频博主Kirk Apesland发视频抨击#西方媒体惯用反华伎俩#后（网页链接） 无奈坦言：“西方媒体就是不愿承认、不能承认中国做了好事”！ 柯克·阿佩兰甚至怀疑：“一定有不成文或成文规定，要求这些新闻机构不准有任何关于中国的好话。” 生活在中国的他表示，纵然中国抗击疫情做的很好，西方媒体鲜有正面报道。他希望西方读者知道，“如果中国媒体看到世界上发生了一些好事，任何国家他们都会报道。中国媒体会说这是个好消息。” 中报视频的秒拍视频

 

Translation:

Canadian video blogger: The Western media is unwilling to admit, can not admit that China has done a good thing" Canadian video blogger Kirk Apesland sent a video attack on the Western media used anti-China tactics after (web link) helpless frankly: "The Western media is unwilling to admit, can not admit that China has done a good thing"! Kirk Appeland even wondered: "There must be an unwritten or written rule that these news organizations are not allowed to say anything good about China." Living in China, he says that even though China is doing a good job of fighting the epidemic, there is little positive coverage in the Western media. He wants Western readers to know that "if the Chinese media see something good happening in the world, they will report it in any country." The Chinese media will say this is good news. Second shot video of the Chinese newspaper video

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/1882388472087788/posts/2596374384022523/

[Randy W]

Hey yo one!

 

Our favorite "maker"/hobbyist/breadboarder/Dolly Parton wannabe tackles a problem for the times. JLCPCB handles the printed circuit board for her.

 

 

Published on Apr 24, 2020

I play around and with the help of JLCPCB build a simple proof of concept. A small clear handle that can be used to turn door levels and poke buttons, that then sanitizes itself with UV light. Support me and visit: https://jlcpcb.com/?ref=naomi

 

 

[Cale1953]

He also made China Daily's Weibo, which he posted about on Facebook

 

The video included in the post , slightly over 3 mins. from the end of one of his videos, is at

https://m.weibo.cn/status/4498236020678688?sourceType=weixin&wm=9006_2001&featurecode=newtitle&from=timeline&isappinstalled=0#&video

 

https://m.weibo.cn/status/4498236020678688?sourceType=weixin&wm=9006_2001&featurecode=newtitle&from=timeline&isappinstalled=0

【加拿大视频博主：西方媒体就是不愿承认、不能承认中国做了好事】加拿大视频博主Kirk Apesland发视频抨击#西方媒体惯用反华伎俩#后（网页链接） 无奈坦言：“西方媒体就是不愿承认、不能承认中国做了好事”！ 柯克·阿佩兰甚至怀疑：“一定有不成文或成文规定，要求这些新闻机构不准有任何关于中国的好话。” 生活在中国的他表示，纵然中国抗击疫情做的很好，西方媒体鲜有正面报道。他希望西方读者知道，“如果中国媒体看到世界上发生了一些好事，任何国家他们都会报道。中国媒体会说这是个好消息。” 中报视频的秒拍视频

 

Translation:

Canadian video blogger: The Western media is unwilling to admit, can not admit that China has done a good thing" Canadian video blogger Kirk Apesland sent a video attack on the Western media used anti-China tactics after (web link) helpless frankly: "The Western media is unwilling to admit, can not admit that China has done a good thing"! Kirk Appeland even wondered: "There must be an unwritten or written rule that these news organizations are not allowed to say anything good about China." Living in China, he says that even though China is doing a good job of fighting the epidemic, there is little positive coverage in the Western media. He wants Western readers to know that "if the Chinese media see something good happening in the world, they will report it in any country." The Chinese media will say this is good news. Second shot video of the Chinese newspaper video

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/1882388472087788/posts/2596374384022523/

Well give him credit for embracing his new role in life. Instead of just drinking and ranting at the camera, he can drink and rant and promote his adopted country. Good on him.

[Cale1953]

 

 

C-Milk is an American citizen, who filed DCF for his wife while they were in China. During the process, he dropped by here, and on VJ.

 

He got an exit visa for his child, while renouncing her Chinese citizenship. Winston will need to do the same thing, but may be required to appear in person at the PSB. They will need to rely on travel permits to allow the baby's entry into China unless he is able to do that.

 

Hi Guys, I am Laowhy86 on Youtube CGI Status Question

 

 

I'm pretty sure it's irrelevant, I highly doubt Winston will ever be returning to the mainland. If I were him I would be extremely nervous about the wife and kid going back as well, especially since the kid would need to go on a Chinese travel document.

 

I think Winston's wife is in an incredibly awkward spot. She was a physician in Shenzhen and probably had a really good life. After she married Winston, she gave up everything and moved to the US. Now she's associated with someone who the Chinese government considers a criminal, and whose full time job is making YouTube videos that rail on her home country. I'm sure she feels at least a little nervous about returning to China. Her Chinese MD is enough to get her a job at Target or a Chinese restaurant here in the US - getting credentialed in the US as a physician is incredibly time-consuming (7+ years). And she has to deal with raising a newborn with no family support... I wish them the best but it ain't gonna be easy.

 

But if I were Winston, I would have stayed with Beer Girl, moved to HK and gotten a job as a teacher, and lived it up in my favorite place in the world.

 

The golden age of Hong Kong is over too. I have a buddy who has been there and in China for the last 20 years and he is desperate to get out, but he has nowhere to go.

[tsap seui]

I knew them ole boys was a getin in deep do do too. But you could not tell them anything and a couple of us here tried to talk to them but they just keep digging the hole deeper and deeper. When you get a little bit of fame and it goes to your fat head ain't that usually the way it goes? Good to see you ole boy. Glad you ain't pushing up daisies yet. How are things in Pensiltuckey?

Well suh, as you well know and like my ol' daddy used to say it's likey this rat cheer, cuzin' Larry. A feller can show a coupla fatheads on minibikes where the water is, but that don't mean you can keep them from pissin' in it before they takes themselves a long cool drink. Know wudda mean? I truly enjoyed those guys for a long time here on CFL. They weren't flash in the pans by any means. But, alas, once again we see.....the elite do what they will do.

 

You better give that beautiful sheep a dadgum break, Cowboy....it's startin' to smell something awful fierce...at least drag it a lil' farther away from the CFL clubhouse.

 

Imma still pickin' petunias and not pushin' up daises jest yet. Been real busy workin', travelin', and playin' with my Asian goddess- owner. And the beat goes on.. humpah humpah

 

 

Hope you are laughin' and happy, Larry. Randy's done a great job of keepin' the boat afloat, eh?

[Martin B]

 

 

 

C-Milk is an American citizen, who filed DCF for his wife while they were in China. During the process, he dropped by here, and on VJ.

 

He got an exit visa for his child, while renouncing her Chinese citizenship. Winston will need to do the same thing, but may be required to appear in person at the PSB. They will need to rely on travel permits to allow the baby's entry into China unless he is able to do that.

 

Hi Guys, I am Laowhy86 on Youtube CGI Status Question

 

 

I'm pretty sure it's irrelevant, I highly doubt Winston will ever be returning to the mainland. If I were him I would be extremely nervous about the wife and kid going back as well, especially since the kid would need to go on a Chinese travel document.

 

I think Winston's wife is in an incredibly awkward spot. She was a physician in Shenzhen and probably had a really good life. After she married Winston, she gave up everything and moved to the US. Now she's associated with someone who the Chinese government considers a criminal, and whose full time job is making YouTube videos that rail on her home country. I'm sure she feels at least a little nervous about returning to China. Her Chinese MD is enough to get her a job at Target or a Chinese restaurant here in the US - getting credentialed in the US as a physician is incredibly time-consuming (7+ years). And she has to deal with raising a newborn with no family support... I wish them the best but it ain't gonna be easy.

 

But if I were Winston, I would have stayed with Beer Girl, moved to HK and gotten a job as a teacher, and lived it up in my favorite place in the world.

 

The golden age of Hong Kong is over too. I have a buddy who has been there and in China for the last 20 years and he is desperate to get out, but he has nowhere to go.

 

 

Definitely on the decline and it doesn't look like it will get better anytime soon.

 

One thing I will never understand is the mainland mentally regarding HK. Mainlanders will flock to HK to buy property in HK, park money in HK banks, hoard imported goods, attend HK universities etc. But they are so keen on HK being reintegrated into the mainland and basically turned into South Shenzhen... like WTF? They'll take advantage of all the great things about HK but at the same time want destroy everything that made it great, which was the fact it was NOT part of the mainland.

 

Many would argue that cities like Shanghai and Shenzhen have replaced and overtaken HK economically anyways, making HK less relevant as a gateway to China for the west. So what upside is there to the mainland constantly bullying and being such a hardass with HK? All it does is attract negative worldwide attention to China, and even if China got what they wanted (full reintegration of HK) it would do little to move the needle at this point, aside from pride I guess.

 

This coronavirus has done little to make China look great to the outside world and it seems that every day that passes China manages to piss someone else off. Deflecting blame, PPE hoarding, questionable sharing of details, retarded propaganda (pushing other countries to say how much they love China), the treatment of foreigners, blatant hypocrisy (complaining when the US bans anyone from China coming in, but then China will happily instate a blanket ban on all foreigners), the situation with foreign media, etc. At this point it wouldn't hurt the mainland to back off from Hong Kong for a couple of years.

 

I still would rather live it up in HK for a few years rather than the mainland for a number of reasons (tolerance of foreigners, English widely spoken, etc.)

Edited April 28, 2020 by Barfus (see edit history)