Number of foreigners increases

One chain bar, the Big Bamboo, has planted trees around the residential complex, hoping to dull noise. The outer wall's height has also been raised.

Foreigners in Sanlitun, Beijing [file photo]

"We want to keep a nice and healthy relationship with area residents," said Claus Borregaard, the bar's Danish deputy general manager. "We take their concerns seriously." But, he added, some noise is inevitable if people live near bars and restaurants, whether in outlying areas or downtown.

Potential conflicts increase as the number of expats in Shanghai increases and as the former policy of segregated housing for foreigners and Chinese has been done away with. There were more than 210,000 foreigners living and working at the end of 2010, accounting for nearly 1 percent of the city's total residents, according to the latest census. Overseas residents were only about 0.56 percent of the population 10 years ago.

Jiang Jie, who lives at the "Top of City," a popular rental spot for expats in downtown's Jing'an District, gets annoyed by his overseas neighbors. His upstairs neighbors, from Japan, wear traditional geta footwear, making clomping noises. His former neighbors from the United States often hosted big nighttime parties that kept him awake. Finally, one night he knocked on their door and asked them to lower the noise. His request was ignored. "I don't know whether they didn't understand what I was saying or just pretended not to understand," Jiang said, conceding his English is poor.

Chen Peiyin, a community mediator in her 50s, has worked at the Jinxiu Jiangnan residences in the Hongqiao area for seven years. Over 40 percent of residents in the complex are South Korean.

"Disputes between neighbors are common and unavoidable, particularly when it comes to people from different countries because their living habits and cultural backgrounds vary," said Chen.

Every year, she mediates at least 20 disputes between Chinese and expats. Some result from the South Koreans' habit of cleaning floors by pouring water over them, which can seep down through the ceilings of Chinese families below because the buildings are old. Other disagreements arise from South Korean kids using skateboards at night. "Many expatriates aren't familiar with the concept of a residential committee and mediators, and they don't trust us at first," Chen said.

American William Coon has visited over 100 countries and lived in Shanghai for over five years. He said it's unfortunate more expats don't study Chinese culture, history and behavior. "If expats do not change their habits to conform to local culture, then they are simply bad guests and they will not enjoy their time in a wonderful country," he said. "This is a common problem all over the world."