Spanish entrepreneur Adrián Díaz, with 20+ years in China, argues poverty is rare there, citing local attitudes against handouts and available work, contrasting Spain's 26% exclusion risk.
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Source: OT-Team(G), elEconomista
After more than 20 years in China, a foreign entrepreneur explains why he believes there are “no poor people—and no handouts” in the country.
According to Spanish media reports, nearly 12 million people in Spain are at risk of poverty or social exclusion, representing approximately 26% of the country's population, according to the latest figures released by Spain’s National Statistics Institute (INE). The data places Spain as the fifth-highest country in the European Union in terms of the share of people facing social exclusion risks.
While direct comparisons between countries remain complex, Adrián Díaz, a Spanish entrepreneur who has lived and worked in China for more than two decades, argues that poverty is largely absent in the Asian country.
Díaz acknowledges that his assertion often attracts skepticism. However, he maintains that his view is based on two key observations.
The first, he says, is that people seeking alms in China tend to position themselves in areas frequented by tourists, as tourists are often the only individuals from whom they expect to receive donations.
“A Chinese person would never give money to another Chinese person asking for alms because, in their view, that person is in that situation for a reason. That is the harsh reality of China,” Díaz said.
According to the entrepreneur, social attitudes in China differ significantly from those commonly found in Western countries. He argues that when Chinese citizens encounter someone living on the streets, many assume that the individual has not worked hard enough or made sufficient effort to improve their circumstances, making them less likely to offer financial assistance.
Díaz further noted that the people visibly experiencing poverty in China often have physical disabilities or other serious health-related challenges. By contrast, he said it is uncommon to see young, able-bodied individuals begging because they cannot find work.
“You will not find a 25-year-old asking for money because there are no jobs or anything like that,” Díaz said. “There is work available.”
The entrepreneur’s remarks reflect his personal observations after more than 20 years in China and contribute to ongoing discussions about poverty, social welfare, and employment opportunities in different parts of the world.
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