Just what is it about China that seems to make such an impression on visiting foreigners? What captivates their imagination and sets them on a course to transform their lives?

China Daily has talked to a number of expatriates who came to China – as often as not for just a short holiday – who then found themselves staying far longer than they had ever originally planned.

Some married local girls and many set up their own businesses getting fulfilment from bringing to fruition long-held ambitions that they suddenly found possible in this new environment.

From bringing foreign cuisine to the Central Kingdom, opening up unusual shops and undertaking projects that would have caused astonishment back in their home countries, we present real cases of people from across the world who have all found their dreams came true when they settled in China.

Want to read what makes these people tick and why China gave them the start they needed to fulfil their dreams?

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