
'Why am I staying here?': Chinese H-1B redditor reveals boredom of life in US suburb, asks if he should go back
A Redditor who later revealed his identity as a Chinese working in the US on an H-1B visa shared the monotony of working life in the US and asked for suggestions whether he should look for some jobs in China.
The person said staying in the US without friends and relatives, waiting for green card for which the wait is only getting longer, feels like a waste of prime.
"This is the second year of my H1b and I'm already 29. I have few friends and no relatives in US. I feel everyday my life is work, go back home and then exercise, that's it. Maybe several travels in a year, but most of the time solo trip. It's boring and endless to lock myself in a small firm in suburb, only because they sponsor my visa and GC (perm started early this year).
I checked the timeline of perm processing, and it's almost 2-3 years.
I just can't see my future - and am very confusing now. Why am I staying here during the best time of my life?" the person wrote, adding that looking for an alternative job in a big city is also not a viable option as recruiters are not interested to hire someone without a green card.
Redditor reveals boredom of living in US suburb, working at a small firm.
The post reveals the struggles the H-1B visa holders go through in teh US while they are blamed for stealing US tech jobs.
The comment section was a mixed bag of opinions but many told the Redditor to choose happiness over a green card.
"Do what will make you happy. Do you want to stay in America forever, or are there other countries that you could move to? I've been here for 3 years. Have H1B and very supportive employer (and an approved labour market test). We have decided that USA isn't for us long term. its fine right now, but doesn't fit into our life long goals, but 5 more years of H1B is fine.
its ok to not want to want what others want..." one wrote.
"im also from china and stuck with my current employer. it's hard to make friends here when everyone's friendship was already established in school. holidays suck cuz I don't have family here to spend with. I hate it when people ask me if i have any plans for any holidays. on top of that i havent even started green card process lol," another wrote.

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Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Trump's 'big, beautiful bill': Why it's making China laugh
President Donald Trump gestures after speaking at a rallyin Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) On July 4, while Americans celebrated their independence, China may be celebrating something else: the greatest gift Washington has handed it in decades. President Donald Trump's newly passed 'One Big Beautiful Bill'-a sprawling 869-page tax and spending law-does more than enshrine his second-term agenda. It delivers a devastating blow to America's renewable energy industry at the exact moment artificial intelligence is fueling a global electricity arms race. And it gives President Xi Jinping and China a clear runway to dominate that future. 'There has never been a more intimate connection between a nation's ability to generate huge amounts of electricity at affordable prices... and its economic and military might,' the New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman wrote this week. "The Chinese can't believe their luck." Why it matters Experts say this may be one of the most self-destructive energy policies in modern history. 'It gives handouts to industries of the past while severely damaging industries of the future,' Tesla CEO Elon Musk said. China, meanwhile, is doubling down on solar, wind, and battery power, preparing to lead the next economic era. Friedman warned in the New York Times: 'This dog's breakfast of a bill… is sure to put at risk billions of dollars of investments in renewable energy… and potentially kill the jobs of tens of thousands of US workers.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo The big picture Trump's bill quickly phases out tax credits for utility-scale wind and solar projects and cuts incentives for electric vehicle buyers years ahead of schedule. The bill adds intricate restrictions on battery tax credits that exclude companies tied to 'prohibited foreign entities' like China-ironically making the credits near-impossible to claim. The bill also kills the methane fee from the Inflation Reduction Act and delays permitting for key grid upgrades, all while locking in $4.5 trillion in tax cuts, $1.2 trillion in safety net reductions, and $350 billion in hardline immigration and military spending. Friedman summed it up sharply: 'In one fell swoop, this bill will make your home hotter, your air conditioning bill higher, your clean energy job scarcer, America's auto industry weaker and China happier.' Zoom in: Texas shows the stakes Texas has quietly become America's top clean power state. A Texas A&M report showed the state added 2,596 MW of solar, wind, and battery storage in just one quarter, overtaking California for the top spot. Texas grid expert Doug Lewin posted last week that the state added 10,000 megawatts of new power last year, mostly solar-plus-battery. 'Brownouts are down,' he said, 'and reliability is up.' But under Trump's bill, future projects will be more expensive, slower to build, and potentially ineligible for tax credits. That means higher costs for utilities-and for families. 'Now the electricity will cost consumers a lot more,' Lewin warned. What they're saying: Elon Musk: 'Utterly insane and destructive.' Nick Nigro, WSJ: 'The big-picture outlook for energy is we are going to be less competitive because of this law.' Ray Dalio : 'This will lead to unimaginable tax increases or a lot of printing and devaluing of money.' Thomas Friedman: 'China may have to make July 4 its own national holiday going forward: American Electricity Dependence Day.' Between the lines The bill's energy policies not only conflict with America's innovation trajectory-they also defy global trends. Saudi Arabia is building solar farms to power AI data centers. Even fossil-fuel giants are investing in green energy for strategic advantage. China is using a different playbook. In 2000, it produced 1,300 terawatt-hours of electricity. Now it generates over 10,000, while the US has only added 500 terawatt-hours in the same time. China's growth is increasingly coming from wind, solar, hydro, and battery projects-not coal. A Financial Times report from Shanghai described China's strategic evolution into an 'electrostate'-a nation powered by clean electricity and buffered against trade wars and geopolitical shocks, Friedman said in his NYT column. Debt dangers Beyond energy, the bill also obliterates fiscal sanity. Ray Dalio, founder of Bridgewater Associates, warns that the legislation pushes America deeper into a debt spiral that could crash credit markets and destabilize the global economy. The bill's $4.5 trillion in tax cuts and defense spending will add another $3.4 trillion to the deficit by 2034, per the Congressional Budget Office. Government debt is now projected to hit 130% of GDP within a decade. That's worse than the US level after World War II. Dalio didn't mince words: 'Unless this path is soon rectified… big, painful disruptions will likely occur.' His concern? That interest payments will balloon to $2 trillion annually, forcing a mix of inflation, tax hikes, and spending cuts that gut the economy. The bill also adds $3.3 trillion to the deficit, with Ray Dalio warning it will erode investor confidence and increase financial instability. 'This path is unsustainable,' Dalio said. What's next Tariff trouble: Trump's steel and aluminum tariffs could drive up the cost and delay deployment of gas turbines and renewables even further. AI grid crunch: With AI data centers consuming vast amounts of electricity, grid expansion is urgent. But Trump's bill delays and obstructs transmission upgrades-slowing economic growth. Job losses: Research firm Energy Innovation projects the bill will increase wholesale electricity prices by 50% by 2035, raise household energy costs by $16 billion annually by 2030, and eliminate or prevent 830,000 renewable jobs. Trump calls it 'beautiful.' But to Beijing, it's miraculous. Friedman put it bluntly: 'There are only two political parties in the world today cheering the passage of this bill: Trump's Republican Party and the Chinese Communist Party.' Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
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First Post
an hour ago
- First Post
Clock ticking on possible Xi-Trump meeting, warns top China adviser; who's delaying it?
A leading Chinese foreign policy adviser has urged the US and China to accelerate talks for a potential Xi-Trump summit this fall. While diplomatic signals are improving, logistical delays and limited engagement outside trade circles are stalling progress. Experts warn the window for dialogue is rapidly closing. read more A prominent Chinese foreign policy adviser has warned that time is running out for the United States and China to organise a long-anticipated summit between former President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping, signalling that the window to reset bilateral ties may soon close unless preparations accelerate. 'If this summit is going to happen in the fall, then both sides need to get moving now,' said Wu Xinbo, director of the Center for American Studies at Fudan University, during a panel at the World Peace Forum in Beijing on Friday. 'Time is limited and we need to begin making arrangements immediately.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Wu's comments come amid cautious optimism that the world's two largest economies are beginning to stabilise their relationship after months of escalating tensions. Trump and Xi last spoke in early June, and a fragile trade truce struck during talks in London last month appears to be holding. 'In the past week, I've seen real signs that both Washington and Beijing are delivering on their commitments,' Wu said. He pointed to the resumption of some rare earth exports from China and the easing of US restrictions on key tech components as promising indicators. Progress but pressure builds Under the current framework agreement, which runs until mid-August, China agreed to resume exports of rare earth materials essential for wind turbines, electric vehicles, and defence technology. In return, the US relaxed certain export controls, including those on chip-design software, jet engine parts and ethane. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed that rare earth shipments from China have resumed, although not yet at previous levels. Meanwhile, Washington has begun allowing ethane exports and chip-design software sales to China without requiring additional licenses. Despite these developments, the timeline for a potential Trump visit remains uncertain. Sources familiar with White House discussions say Trump's team has begun quietly sounding out business leaders about joining him on a possible trip to China later this year. However, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified that 'no visit has been scheduled at this time.' Opportunity on the horizon Wu suggested that the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea in October might present a convenient window for Trump to also travel to Beijing. But such a visit, he stressed, requires a broader diplomatic push. 'You can't just leave this to the trade teams,' Wu said. 'We need the involvement of the entire government apparatus, especially the diplomatic and security channels. It's time for Foreign Minister Wang Yi to engage directly with his US counterpart.' His remarks came a day after Liu Jianchao, another senior Chinese official, spoke positively about the future of US-China relations but warned that flashpoints like Taiwan and the South China Sea still carry risk. Liu described war between the two nations as 'unimaginable,' but not impossible if missteps continue. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The stakes of a summit Wu outlined two clear expectations for a potential Trump visit. First, he said Trump should publicly acknowledge China as America's most vital commercial partner. Second, he urged the US president to reaffirm Washington's long-standing stance of non-support for Taiwan's independence and support for peaceful reunification. 'Trump is a smart negotiator,' Wu said. 'He knows how to frame a deal that aligns with America's interests. When he's in Beijing, he'll say what needs to be said.' For now, the momentum appears to be building—but without swift coordination, a meeting between Xi and Trump could remain just out of reach. Whether the delay lies in Beijing, Washington, or both, the clock is undeniably ticking.


Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
China urges caution - and speed - on assisted-driving technology
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This approach is in stark contrast to the U.S. market, where companies pursuing autonomous cars have expressed frustration that the government has not implemented a regulatory system to validate and test the technology. Markus Muessig, auto industry lead at Accenture Greater China, said China's regulators and industries have long followed former Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping's "feel the stones to cross the river" philosophy. The expression means to steadily explore new, uncertain technologies, which "has proven very successful for this market," he said. Current Chinese regulations allow systems that automatically steer, brake and accelerate under certain conditions while requiring the driver to stay engaged. For that reason, marketing terms such as "smart" and "autonomous" are banned. The new rules will focus on hardware and software designs that monitor a driver's state of awareness and their capacity to take control in time. To do this, regulators enlisted Chinese automaker Dongfeng and tech giant Huawei to help draft new rules and have sought public input over a month-long period, ending Friday. At the same time, government officials are pressing Chinese automakers to rapidly deploy even more-advanced systems, known as Level 3 assisted-driving , which allow drivers to take their eyes off the road in certain situations. Level 3 is the midway point on the industry's autonomous-driving scale, from basic features like cruise control at Level 1, to self-driving capability under all conditions at Level 5. The Chinese government had tapped state-owned Changan to be the first automaker to begin Level 3 validation tests in April, but the plan was paused after the Xiaomi crash, said a source familiar with the regulatory planning process. Beijing still hopes to resume such tests this year and approve the country's first Level 3 car in 2026, the source said. China's Ministry of Industry of Information Technology and Changan did not respond to requests for comment. Xiaomi has said it is cooperating with a police investigation into the accident. Driver-assistance systems are seen by industry analysts as the next big battleground in China's hyper-competitive car market. Over the past decade, Level 2 systems have proliferated in China, including Tesla's Full Self Driving system, as well as the Xiaomi feature involved in the March crash. The capability ranges from basic vehicle following on highways to handling most tasks on busy urban roads, under driver supervision. Automakers have pushed down hardware costs to levels that allow them to offer Level 2 features at little or no extra cost. China's No. 1 automaker BYD has rolled out its "God's Eye" assisted-driving software for free across its entire product line-up. More than 60% of new cars sold in China this year will have Level 2 features, according to an estimate from research firm Canalys. GLOBAL RACE In its push for assisted-driving technology, and ultimately fully self-driving cars, Beijing is seeking to help homegrown carmakers just as it supported China's rapid rise to become the world's electric-car juggernaut. Last year, China's government lined up nine automakers for public tests to advance the adoption of self-driving cars. In their Level 3 push, Chinese regulators also are upping the regulatory ante by holding automakers and parts suppliers liable if their systems fail and cause an accident. Legislation passed in Britain last year adopted a similar approach to liability. At the Shanghai auto show in April, several companies touted progress toward rolling out vehicles with Level 3 capability. Tech giant Huawei said it is ready to introduce a Level 3 system for highways after simulated testing of more than 600 million kilometers. It showed a video of drivers and passengers singing karaoke as the car drove itself. Geely's Zeekr brand debuted the luxury SUV 9X, featuring Level 3 software the automaker said is ready for mass production in the third quarter if regulations allow. Zeekr is also applying to be part of a second batch of automakers to undergo government Level 3 validation tests. Meanwhile, traditional automakers at the Shanghai auto show such as Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen said they were pushing their most advanced assisted-driving features but stopped short of crossing the Level 3 liability line. Getting there is a challenge as they are already at a cost disadvantage against their Chinese rivals, analysts say. Mercedes-Benz CTO Markus Schaefer told Reuters that while chip and computing power prices have fallen, the additional safety required for Level 3 will cost much more. "It's a moving target," Schaefer said.