Perfect weather
No extreme heat, no bitter cold: January days can reach +20°C. A climate you never need to get used to.
About me
I’ve Lived in China Since 2011. I Made Every Mistake So You Won’t.
Guangzhou · Shenzhen · Haikou · Foshan · Kunming — fifteen years of real life, not tourism.
The story
From a Lost Newcomer to a Guide to China
I came to China in 2011 with two suitcases and zero Chinese. I overstayed my visa because nobody explained the registration rules. I paid “foreigner prices” for a year. I signed a contract I couldn’t read. Every bureaucratic dead end — I have stood in it.
That’s exactly why I’m useful now. I don’t teach China from slides; I walk you through it on foot. I know which window at the bank says “yes” to foreigners, which agent quotes honest prices, and which street in Kunming smells of fresh flowers in March.
I’m a family man. My wife and I chose Kunming for its climate, calm pace and clean air — and I recommend it as the softest entry point into China. If your path leads elsewhere, I’ll hand you trusted contacts in Guangzhou, Shanghai and Hainan.
Alexey BabkovFounder, CNBase.pro · 创始人
“Knowledge and action are one.” I teach only what I have done myself.
— Wang Yangming, after whom I name my method
The road
Fifteen Years, Five Cities
2011
Guangzhou — First Shock
First visa, first registration fines, first honest and dishonest agents. The tuition years.
2012
Shenzhen — Business Years
Trade, factories, markets. Learned how China works for entrepreneurs.
2019
Haikou — Island Calm
Slower pace, a calm island chapter. Opened a company and learned every nuance of doing official business.
2022
Foshan — Roots
Birth of my child, home routines, local markets. China stopped being “abroad” — it became life.
2024
Kunming — Home
The move to the Spring City. Mountains 30 minutes away, and the idea of CNBase.pro born over a cup of tea.
Why Kunming
Seven Reasons to Choose the Spring City
Fresh air & clean environment
Clean air and a healthy environment — especially in the surroundings of Kunming, away from industrial giants.
Province-level prices
Apples in Kunming cost 15 yuan per kilo; in Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Shanghai or Beijing the same 15 yuan buys you just 500 grams.
Affordable housing
A huge choice of good apartments at sane money: a spacious central Kunming flat is about 4,000 yuan; a similar place in Guangzhou is 10,000, in Shanghai 13,000.
Mountains & space
Just 30 minutes from the center you can look over the city from 300–400 meters and watch sunrises and sunsets against beautiful mountains.
Fruits & vegetables all year
A huge choice of seasonal produce year-round at super-affordable prices.
Entertainment everywhere
In the city: museums, theaters, historic sites; in the region: the Stone Forest, caves, picturesque villages and dozens of theme parks. Never a dull moment.
Philosophy
The Three Core Rules I Work By
Practice over theory
No HSK lectures. We go to the bank, the agent, the market — you learn by doing, with me beside you.
Family first
I treat your move the way I’d treat my family’s: safe housing, honest prices, no adventures at your expense.
Full responsibility
Every mentor is personally trained by me and works under my direct supervision. I answer for the quality.
