Chinese Woman Shocked By Seeing So Many Homeless People After Moving To The US
A Chinese woman was left stunned by the number of homeless people living on the streets in the US.
More than half a million people are estimated to be homeless across America, with approximately 17 people per 10,000 experiencing homelessness each day and thousands dying every year as a result. According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, around 51% live in conditions not meant for human habitations, including families without any shelter.
China is no stranger to homelessness crises, with hundreds of thousands displaced due to natural disasters in addition to child abandonment, mental health and COVID-19 lockdowns.
Posting to TikTok, @lialiu_chinese recently discussed ‘things in America that Chinese don’t understand’; more specifically, America’s homeless population, who regularly sleep rough as opposed to in a shelter.
‘I’m native Chinese, I moved to America two years ago, and there’s something that bothers me a lot: why do you have so many homeless?’ she says.
She then speaks about her reaction to seeing a line of tents along a street in Portland, Oregon, and how her brain ‘exploded’ when her husband told her the people lived there. He told her there was a shelter, but not everyone likes to stay there because there’s certain rules to follow and they may have drug or mental issues.
‘When I was in China, I saw videos like this all the time. Some Americans rescue stray cats, stray dogs… what about stray people? Do you want to give them a home?’ she says, adding that her friends in the US told her to avoid homeless people to keep herself safe, which she found strange.
‘In China, if you see a homeless person, you call the cops directly,’ she says, explaining they’ll then take them to the nearest train station where they’ll be given a free ticket to their hometown. There, they’ll be taken into a shelter where they’ll be fed and given social welfare.
The TikToker was also shocked over how difficult it is for homeless people in the US to get a job. ‘For homeless people, they don’t have an address so they can’t find a job… in China you just need an ID, you can find a job, like you can be a waiter [and] they provide food, lodging and salary, though not gonna be much,’ she explains.
The video has racked up more than 1.5 million views, with many in the comments criticizing the US system for keeping poor people in poverty. ‘It’s like an infinite loop,’ the TikToker replied.