BEIJING, May 18 (Xinhua) -- What would happen if someone left a backpack full of personal belongings unattended in one of China's busiest commercial areas?
YouTuber "Because I'm Lizzy" decided to figure out in southwest China's Chongqing last year. After spending about 100 minutes wandering through the city's winding streets, sampling local delicacies and taking in its neon-lit nightlife, she returned to find everything exactly where she had left it.
The 29-year-old South African content creator was not even surprised by the outcome. "I've just been proven so many times that nothing would ever get stolen," she told Xinhua, "Safety is the number one reason why I stay in China."
Currently based in Kunming, the capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, the YouTuber Jannelize Bessenger has lived in China for seven years. She created a series of videos about China, after noticing that many people know little about the safety level of the nation of 1.4 billion population.
But for Bessenger, "It is the people who live here and their value and respect for life that make China the safest place I will stay for many years."
Her first impression of China was shaped by an unexpected act of kindness from a stranger. She recalled that in 2019, just four months after arriving in China, she fell seriously ill while in Nanchang, east China's Jiangxi Province. Although she had the hospital's location saved on her phone, she still could not find it.
Speaking little Chinese at the time, she turned to a man nearby for help, using a translation app. To her surprise, he voluntarily accompanied her to the hospital by subway and then left.
Wondering whether the man would ask for her contact or something in return, Bessenger said nothing happened. "He was really just being nice," she said. That moment made her realize she could live safely alone in China as a foreign woman.
Hailing from a small South African town renowned for wildlife and safaris, solo traveler Bessenger said China's secure environment allows her to embrace a relaxed lifestyle here.
"Whether it's going for a walk with music in my ears at 11 p.m. when I can't sleep, or getting some fresh air without checking a map first, I just go and explore," she said.
China ranks among higher-scoring countries globally in public feelings of safety and law and order index, according to Gallup's 2025 Global Safety Report.
When Bessenger shared her appreciation for the safety features on the lifestyle-sharing platform Rednote, many Chinese users were puzzled as to why she kept talking about this.
"They take it so much for granted that they don't really realize how lucky they are to live in a country with so much safety," she said. The feeling was shared by her mother, who visited China from South Africa two years ago and later decided to settle down.
China's safety and openness are also echoed by short-term travelers. In 2025, inbound tourist visits to China surpassed 150 million, up more than 17 percent year on year. Of these, over 30 million foreign travelers entered the country under China's visa-free policies.
Holding expensive camera gear in hand, Canadian YouTuber Dave Mani and his wife comfortably moved around Chinese cities or roamed in rural areas.
"After visiting 56 countries, we can say that China is very high on the list in terms of general safety," said Mani.
As an independent content creator, Mani noticed how deeply technology is integrated into China's daily life. Whenever he and his wife needed help during the trip, locals were quick to use translation apps to communicate with them.
The couple quickly became fans of WeChat, saying the super app brought great convenience, especially through WeChat Pay, which allowed them to make payments easily and safely.
"That level of everyday safety made filming and exploring very easy and enjoyable," said Mani.
Like Bessenger and Mani, Ana Rosa Neumann Devers, an exchange student from the Dominican Republic now studying in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, finds it cozy and relaxing to stroll past the orderly market stalls day or night.
The girl from the tropical Caribbean nation has fallen for the icy northern city, captivated by its snowy nights and warmed by the kindness and sincerity of her schoolmates. At a school ball, she appeared in traditional Dominican attire and was met with warm applause and heartfelt compliments.
"People here respect different cultures and customs. No one treats me differently because I'm from another country. I truly feel respected," she said.
In the past seven years, Bessenger has found that in China, every province or city offers something entirely different for travellers to discover. But for those who don't know where to go or those who are eager to tap into the "becoming Chinese" trend, her advice is simple: just head downstairs when night falls.
"Walk around, get some street food, and see how people enjoy their meals and how the city settles into a peaceful but vibrant rhythm," she said. "That's where China feels most real." Enditem
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