The Rent a Foreigner Phenomenon in China

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The value of a white face in China can be traced back a long time. During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), the emperors collected objects from the West and gave them as gifts to show their authority, just like local leaders were keen to be seen with Marco Polo during his journey along the Silk Road.

Many Chinese still associate a white face with a global perspective, and Chinese products that are promoted with a Western face to the outside world tend to be regarded as superior and luxurious.

The rent-a-foreigner business saw a boom at around the same time that China's housing boom commenced in the early 2010s.

At that time, it was common to hire foreigners for the inaugurations of big real estate projects that branded themselves as "international cities."

The documentary Dream Empire (2016) (← touch to watch the documentary ) by American filmmaker David Borenstein portrays his own experience as a "white guy in a tie."

Borenstein appears as a world-famous clarinet player, a member of the famous (fictional) band The Travelers and as an Olympic athlete.

The film also follows Chinese agent Yana Yang who, for several years, had great success in hiring random foreigners she often found at bars or nightclubs.

Source: globaltimes

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