As a Chinese woman who has obtained a U.S. green card, although I am not very old, I am already starting to worry about my life after retirement. I would like to ask fellow overseas Chinese: should we choose to live in the United States after retirement, or return to China, or choose cities like Malaysia or Canada to obtain residency permits so that we can make the most of our limited assets and live a better life?
Why not return to Taiwan? 
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I’m struggling with this very issue because I own a property in the US, but I already sold my house in Taiwan, so…
Is that even possible? Currently they don’t make it easy for Chinese citizens to reside in Taiwan.
But for the OP, you’ll have to decide for yourself. Socialization can be hard in Taiwan especially if you’re used to living in the US. People here are polite but distant. But in the US you would have to rely on Medicare and once you’re retiring medical expenses will only get more expensive. Medicare is ok but still not great.
If you got enough money to live in the us might be better off staying there.
How settled are you, and what are you looking for in terms of a “better” life? When you say limited assets, is that limited as in relatively fixed because you’re talking retiring, or limited in that you’re worried it’s a low amount?
I’m always struck by the people who build a life with a social network then pick up and live for retirement where they don’t know anyone, and haven’t spent appreciable time. It’s one thing if you need to for financial reasons or have specific reasons for a move, but a totally different game when it’s a somewhat abstract concept of “better.”
Thank you for your suggestion. I recently saw a news article that mentioned that if you’re worried about your retirement, you can choose to live in a place that doesn’t require a visa, only a residence permit. They also mentioned that you only need to prove your annual income is between 8K and 20K, which should be enough to cover your living expenses. I think using limited funds to maintain your standard of living is a great idea. This way, I can use the rest of my money for charity or for my own travel. It’s fantastic! What do you think?
I’m not at retirement age yet, but I’ve always liked planning ahead. My assets aren’t fixed, but with my current income and future 401(k) contributions, I’ll be more than secure. I simply want to use my resources in ways that feel more meaningful to me. I hope that makes sense, and thank you again for your comment.
Have you considered returning to China? Places like Kunming have great weather and a reasonable cost of living.
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I think this is a great suggestion, but unfortunately, I have become a U.S. citizen and cannot live in China long-term.
I’m afraid you’ll find it easier to attain a satisfactory quality of life in the U.S. than you will in Canada, at least in terms of finances. Canadian cities are stupidly expensive, and the ones that aren’t aren’t anywhere you’d want to parachute into (Winnipeg, Calgary etc.). The U.S. offers exponentially more options for finding your niche in your preferred income bracket, plus Americans are just generally easier to get to know and care more about making strangers feel at home than Canadians do.
Canada west of Quebec may be the most easy-going society the world has ever known—nowhere else has there ever been a place more amenable to doing your own thing in practically any way you like, with the fewest external social claims on who you are and what you do—but concomitant with the prerequisite milquetoast hands-off local culture for that is a reserve that can feel impenetrable and isolating.
It works for me, having grown up here and then returned here after living in Taiwan, but it might not be ideal for a non-Canadian wanting to maximize the enjoyment of their autumn years (I mean, you absolutely can make lots of friends and be involved in loads of group activities, I know retirees here doing just that, it’s just that you’ll need to work extra hard at it–we’re not Scandinavian, but you could maybe say we’re kinda like Americans with Scandinavian characteristics).
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Wow, although it may be a bit presumptuous, I still want to ask if we can exchange contact information. I think the place you described is very nice. If the medical care is guaranteed, it would be a very suitable place to retire. I could grow some flowers and plants and cultivate some hobbies such as painting and music.
Are you a green card holder or a citizen?
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I have become a U.S. citizen.
I thought I’d made a case for Canada being a less desirable place to retire in, but hey, if it appeals to you, that’s great too. Feel free to DM me and I’ll respond to any more specific questions you may have.
Then Taiwan is on the table, isn’t it?
I don’t quite understand what you mean.
You can just come to Taiwan on your US passport.
I think we could add each other’s contact information to discuss this in more detail, of course, if you’re willing. What do you think?
You said you lived in Taiwan beforehand and sold house, where?
The house I sold was in Da’an District, Taipei, but I had been studying in Zhuhai, and my family stayed with me during that time. Originally, I didn’t plan to sell that property, but after my father passed away, my mother decided to sell it to live with me in the United States.