Lure of China proves strong for USC grad Allen Wu

Allen Wu, 33, a Hong Kong native, has lived like an American for the past decade. He went to the University of Southern California to pursue computer engineering; he then found a job in Los Angeles as a software engineer; he drove a BMW 530 and lived in a two-storey home in a private community. But Wu was not happy and was tired of being an outsider. He missed staying in his grandmother's cage-size flat and eating her cooking. The US way of life, however, did teach him one thing: he longed for his own business. As he approached his 30s, Wu decided to return to China and is using Shenzhen and Beijing as bases as he develops a news aggregation application for mobile devices.

I am eager to spend time with my family after living in the United States for 13 years. My grandma, especially, is ageing and I'm grateful that I can be close to her. I spent some of my happiest moments as a teenager with her. I still remember that she brought me rice crackers every day after work. I grew up in Hong Kong, but I view China as my home country; it's the fastest growing market in the world and full of opportunities. The number of smartphone users is increasing substantially, while the price of smartphones is becoming more affordable each day. Recently, domestic smartphone brand Xiaomi launched its latest product, which costs as low as 799 yuan [HK$1,005]. The conditions are ripe to get a mobile app widely distributed. I'm also excited about the vibrant Chinese IT communities here.

Compared with China, the US market focuses more on creativity. When you come up with new ideas, others will try to create something newer to compete. In China, when you make something new, people start to copy it. Many software engineers are concerned about the copyright issue, but I am fine with it because if my technology is always six months ahead of others, it will be hard for people to copy. It is also challenging to get used to the lifestyle in China. The population is so large that getting things done takes time. I try not to let small things affect me; for example, people may get too close to you in a queue and even jump the line. I also have to find alternative activities to do in my spare time. I used to enjoy surfing, skiing and scuba diving in southern California. Now my hobby is roller skating.