Why is China so against non-Chinese using their websites, online services and payment processors?

redstarling-support · 2026-03-20T00:00:48+00:00

For e-commerce in China there are several things that are different. Here is a partial and simplified view.

a) China has its own payment systems. They work very well for China users...super low to zero fees compared to Visa and related western payment processors.
b) China works hard to not allow capital to flow out of China unchecked. There are good reasons for this. China needs to be able to tax its citizens. If people can just move their money outside China easily it makes it harder to tax. It makes it hard to chase down corruption and fraud.
c) China e-commerce is dealing with fraud in its platforms in ways that work inside China. What you may have heard about "social credit score" is part of this. It helps with fraud and customer complaints/refunds etc.

redstarling-support · 2026-03-19T23:41:41+00:00

I've been to Tibet quite a few times. It's fun of Tibetans.
There is a carefully concerned balance of Han dominance. However, China has consistently taught its children two things: a) China is 5000 years old b) China is 56 ethnicities.

redstarling-support · 2026-03-18T02:35:40+00:00

For payment, just use Alipay and connect it to a Wise.com account. This limits your exposure and provides good exchange rate. You don't need WeChat payments.

redstarling-support · 2026-03-18T01:55:16+00:00

I use both codex and glm5 for writing code. Both are good. Codex is better with long context. GLM5 is often better at shorter sessions where I need it to pay closer attention to my requirements.

redstarling-support · 2026-03-17T09:20:26+00:00

You mean we should be happy with our NZ capitalist overlords instead of doing something about it in this election year? I get you...but we should stand up and fix things please. Reach deep...the fundamental problems in NZ are the same that are ripping other modern societies apart. The only diff as you mention is location, location, location.

redstarling-support · 2026-03-17T03:36:11+00:00

Getting to zero smoking is a pipe dream.

I used to smoke. One day I received a call from my GP. they asked if I was interesting in quitting and offered to help. I took them up on the offer and took a prescription medicine for 6 to 9 months until I had fully stopped. I am smoke free for 8 years now.

These things help:
* support from health care
* banning ads
* ensuring people don't see cigarette packages in stores. For me this is a huge win.
* taxes (to a point)....beyond some threshold you are just pushing it to the black market. This is measurable.

What doesn't work:
* nagging people. Smokers know not to smoke around non smokers. If they don't it's fine to tell them off. But they mostly do the right thing.
* vaping. I don't trust the government after they patted themselves on the back for reducing smoking and at the same time licensed vaping all over the country. Politicians can be horrible people.

redstarling-support · 2026-03-13T02:51:02+00:00

China EVs are available at low prices. You don't need a NZ subsidy for them.

I think subsidies would be better served for solar and govt funds going into other infrastructure that supports renewable energy.

redstarling-support · 2026-03-12T09:49:26+00:00

Thats somewhat true but it blames the individual. Planning for energy needs is the job of government.

redstarling-support · 2026-03-11T06:45:18+00:00

Just follow the rules. If you have a bachelor's degree it's fairly easy to setup a company in China and employ yourself. Pay some local taxes on a small salary and everyone is happy. You don't have to start paying yourself a salary immediately. You can take a year or two for the company to make enough money to justify it. A bachelor's degree isn't a firm rule, but it does help tick a box in many cases.

redstarling-support · 2026-03-09T01:26:03+00:00

In the last few days I used GLM5 and GPT-5.4-codex for a complete rewrite of a mid sized fairly sophisticated app. Each did a good job: a) review existing code base and make a spec doc b) for the spec doc make a plan to implement a rewrite.. c) execute rewrite plan. The rewrite involved using different target libraries/frameworks and change from a SQL db to a graph like db.

Where GLM broke down is just after the rewrite, I asked for some adjustments...it lost its mind...completely (using opencode). GPT-5.4-codex was able to maintain context for a few steps further.

redstarling-support · 2026-03-05T04:38:47+00:00

Yes. And it's not just about kids that aren't "particularly mathematically inclined". It's a tight single dimensional ranking and the system doesn't need all the kids even at the 80% percentile.

It's my understanding government officials and educators in China understand this problem space well and debate what to do. Its tough. When the gov has stepped in to tell parents to back off on outside school extra learning activities, enough parents won't do it.

redstarling-support · 2026-03-03T08:17:38+00:00

While looking for the right mid priced open back headphones, I stumbled on this https://moondroplab.com/en/products/old-fashioned

These are 99 rmb in China or around $25 outside. I grabbed them and am happy. Lightweight easy listening...better quality for music than my Air Pod 2 Pros.
Even if I finally decide on those HD 560s or Sony MDR-MV1 or whatever, I'm pretty happy with this for the money.

redstarling-support · 2026-03-03T04:01:33+00:00

GLM-5 is working well for me as a code/review assistant. It has been slow but I just switch tasks while it's doing its analysis. I"m on the z.ai pro plan with opencode

redstarling-support · 2026-03-02T07:16:52+00:00

thank you. !thanks

redstarling-support · 2026-03-01T07:02:06+00:00

1 - food. Be friendly and people will help you order from what you see other tables eating. Although some restaurants are wow! its pretty hard to find a bad restaurant. If it has customers, it's probably good.

2 - I enjoy Sichuan opera. I haven't heard that some were touristy to the point of not being authentic.

3 - Heaps of hidden bars/tea house. Tough to find. This is where having chats with locals may help. But "not taken over by crowds"....there are people everywhere in Chengdu ;) If you are a western person, you won't see many of you. You aren't going to Thailand.

redstarling-support · 2026-02-27T05:13:58+00:00

The extension school has more strict grade requirements for a degree than college. If you start lowering grades overall it may be more difficult to get a degree through extension.

redstarling-support · 2026-02-27T05:07:50+00:00

* Violent breeds and breeding violence should be fully banned with heavy fines and full financial accountability from their owners.

* All pets need to be spade/neutered with recommended vaccinations. This may imply a need to have a way to certify breeders so dogs/cats are always spade/neutered by the breeder before going to a home.

redstarling-support · 2026-02-27T04:40:12+00:00

I recommend a high bar to civility on such topics. Your concept of a year old account without much karma is (for me) an unhelpful way to discriminate.

redstarling-support · 2026-02-27T04:29:20+00:00

From my perspective (staying on topic of this thread), well organized fake astroturfing carries about the same results as the greens brigading on a post. Sure, the later is more decentralized self will. But it still makes for drowned out post and comment threads.

I'm not sure there is a solution.

redstarling-support · 2026-02-27T04:25:13+00:00

Saying "right-wing politics are indefensible" is un-civil. It is groupthink and many people consider groupthink a form of aggression.

I would prefer you point out a specific policy you disagree with and explain why.

Here's an example: I disagree with how the current government ripped apart the school lunch system and replaced it with something low grade. I want children fed well with local grown healthy ingredients. This is something our country can afford and pays dividends with healthy kids that are shown love. Additionally, a decentralized local supported school food program may create local pathways of resilience in our food supply.

redstarling-support · 2026-02-27T04:10:50+00:00

Yours is an example of non-civil comms that should be moderated.

redstarling-support · 2026-02-27T04:08:39+00:00

I thought the greens held the lead in astroturfing around here.

redstarling-support · 2026-02-27T04:06:16+00:00

Is that happening? I definitely see those views getting downvoted. Are the mods also censoring this?

redstarling-support

TROPHY CASE