Chinese companies 'rent' white foreigners

[Liberal_in_LA]

Beijing, China (CNN) -- In China, white people can be rented.

For a day, a weekend, a week, up to even a month or two, Chinese companies are willing to pay high prices for fair-faced foreigners to join them as fake employees or business partners.

Some call it "White Guy Window Dressing." To others, it's known as the "White Guy in a Tie" events, "The Token White Guy Gig," or, simply, a "Face Job."

And it is, essentially, all about the age-old Chinese concept of face. To have a few foreigners hanging around means a company has prestige, money and the increasingly crucial connections -- real or not -- to businesses abroad.

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Zatkin was paid 2,000 yuan (about $300) to fly, along with a couple of Russian models, to a small city in the central province of Henan where he delivered a speech for the grand opening ceremony of a jewelry store there.

They have not told me what my name is today. I think it is Lawrence or something

"I was up on stage with the mayor of the town, and I made a speech about how wonderful it was to work with the company for 10 years and how we were so proud of all of the work they had done for us in China," Zatkin said. "They put up a big bandstand and the whole town was there and some other local muckety-mucks."

The requirements for these jobs are simple. 1. Be white. 2. Do not speak any Chinese, or really speak at all, unless asked. 3. Pretend like you just got off of an airplane yesterday.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/BUSINESS/06/29/china.rent.white.people/index.html?hpt=C1

[msongs]

1. all workers are "rented", from the CEO to the custodians. nothing new here lol nt

[izquierdista]

2. Hacking their rolodex

I would love to be able to insert a nice American sounding name into their rolodex, something like "Samuel L. Jackson". :rofl: :rofl: He would fix their "face", all right -- by biting it off! :rofl:

[AngryAmish]

3. People do the same thing in England, except with "royalty"

Gotta have some upper class twit on the board to make it look good.

[Mimosa]

9. ^ LOL! ^ n/t

[damntexdem]

4. Hey, I thought this might be a good second career.

But then I saw the "white guy in a tie" part. A necktie? No thanks, not worth it.

;-)

[Edweird]

5. Bom-chicka-wow-wow...... oh wait.

[Blue Owl]

6. paging George Rekers

your Rentboy is ready and waiting...

[JBoy]

7. New career for GWB: Dim Sum Dim Son.

[KamaAina]

15. He'd never be able to get his foot in the door

[Peregrine Took]

8. Question: Can an American student get a job while studying in CHina?

Just curious as a relative is going to Shanghai to study. Sorry if this was slightly off topic.

[JHB]

10. Don't know for certain but...

There may be Conversational English classes looking for native speakers to allow people to practice their English.

Used to be big in Japan in their '80s boom years. Wouldn't be surprised if a similar market had appeared in China.

[conspirator]

11. Everything is faked in china. Even business ties n/t

[Johonny]

12. Yes China businesses are not Honest like American ones

[Swamp Rat]

13. BP hired a 'black guy' from Louisiana for their new commercial

[Maru Kitteh]

16. Hey - that guy is going to "make it right."

I know because he said so. He's totally believable. I would never suspect that the big white oil company deliberately picked a black guy to do their PR commercial on purpose. That would be cynical.

[Swamp Rat]

17. and because he's 'black' and from 'Louisiana'

[Liberal_in_LA]

21. I hope he's getting a nice fat paycheck

[jp11]

23. BP shouldn't have branded Godzilla like that it is wrong.

[Liberal_in_LA]

20. lol

[SunnySong]

14. I'm game flying around with russian models for money... where can I sign up.

[Octafish]

18. Finally, reverse discrimination.

Traditionally, it's been the white guys who rent minorities in order to land government contracts set aside for...minorities.

[Regret My New Name]

19. I'd so totally do this. :P

Fake it 'til you, uhhh, get brought up on corruption/fraud charges in China (or something)

[Toucano]

22. I am SO QUALIFIED for this job!!

Where do I sign up?