Expats have their say on Chinese toilets

China is a popular destination for adventurous expats looking to start new businesses, but it’s perhaps the most foreign of all with its stunning contrasts between huge, ultra-modern cities and third-world rural regions. One thing’s for sure, it’s totally fascinating in every aspect, including its infamous public latrines!

Visiting the ancient land of China as a tourist is an unforgettable experience, with everything provided to make your stay unforgettable and the recently-installed, first-rate public loos high on the list for luxury. However, expats living in the crowded cities may find the available conveniences less than convenient, as they’re invariably of the squat variety common across Asia. Unsurprisingly, public toilets are a favourite topic on expat social media and also in Chinese government circles, as the state has recently embarked on a ‘toilet revolution’.

The purpose of China’s’ latest revolution is easy to understand as it’s based on tourism but with a nod towards improving the lives of China’s untold millions, a high proportion of whom live in rural areas. Expats often fail to understand the fight for upscale toilets has been ongoing since 1997, with even the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation taking part via a generous donation. For expat researchers into top toilets, Beijing is the hub, with its restrooms at the Gubei Water Town tourist attraction well worth a visit.

Long-term expats in China have their own opinions, roughly expressed as ‘East Squats, West sits’, with one French national telling researchers he’s happy abut the number of public restrooms but unhappy that they’re seldom cleaned. Having spent some time in Japan, he misses the heated seats and water jets. One newly-arrived German student was horrified by Chinese squat toilets, and a British expat never leaves home without a toilet roll following an unfortunate experience in a Chinese old-style restroom. ‘East is East and West is West’ seems to be the general opinion amongst China’s expat community, with only a few believing clean, modern loos are a barometer of civilisation.