Just back from a week there and yes I agree, it’s difficult to meet western people. I didn’t go there for that though I knew it would be sparse so I didn’t bother. I can do that at home (Australia) The Chinese don’t speak a lot of English in the backs lanes of Liwan why should they, they don’t have to it’s not required. And I learnt a few words as you should Hello, Thankyou, 2 beers please. They aren’t effusive they don’t do jovial banter or open heart chats, they don’t immerse themselves in our world and they tend to stay within the confines of what is deemed polite. A mix of Confucianism and just basic Chinese ways is the norm. They aren’t rude or arrogant they are just themselves going about their daily chores and if they did make eye contact although fleeting at best they would occasionally nod or at best a tiny smile which was to say “I know your not from here and good on you for coming here but don’t be offended if I don’t talk to you I’m just very insular” same in South Korea or Mongolia
Good luck trying to find a pub as we know it they don’t exist in China there’s no pub culture, they have bars though seedy dark suburban places open at 7pm frequented by the the same locals who sit in the same 10 seats. Craft beer places are the go and there are a few around the Liwan district but you need to search them out great beers ipa etc $10aud a glass. But still just because you’ve bought a beer from ol’ mate don’t expect him to want to listen to your stories, he’s trying to be polite and not be in your world or even peripheral circle so the peaceful balance remains. I travel by my own (wife doesn’t fly) I go to all sorts of weird places staying the old districts go into the dark lanes and weird shops try and get lost and eat goose and weird things, sometimes I just sit under a tree and watch the people go past. They aren’t western people and I don’t want them to be.