The HSBC released late October its annual rankings of the best places for expats - Expat Explorer Survey 2014 - claiming to show China is the third most popular destination following Switzerland and Singapore. The survey interviewed 9,288 expats in more than 100 countries around the world and ranked 34 nations according to a spectrum of indicators including economics, experience, education, and expenses.

Switzerland tops the list, as it did the previous year, thanks to its gorgeous scenery, immunity from pollution, safe environment, and sound social welfare. However, the US and the UK, which traditionally boast a pleasant reputation, were voted among the worst places this year. What seems surprising is that China ranks third in the world's favorite places to live and tops the pile for expat economics.

The findings have caused quite a stir in Chinese public opinion, especially after The Washington Post published an article with the title "The best places in the world to be a rich foreigner," which shows a table captioned "How China triumphs the US." The caption has made headlines in many Chinese media outlets.

In fact, the chart comparing the US and China in economics, experience and raising children concludes, "For money-making expatriates, the grass is greener in Asia."

The US, a country that once attracted ambitious talent worldwide with its magnificent American dream, ranks 30th in the list. Web users have expressed suspicion of the HSBC survey because China's popularity in the eyes of foreign executives stands in sharp contrast with the desire of many rich Chinese people to emigrate in the near future.

After all, China is the world's fourth largest source of emigrants. It exported some 5 million during the past two decades with a burgeoning wealthy class. Some 150,000 Chinese citizens moved abroad in 2011 only.

Canada scaled back its Immigrant Investor Program earlier this year, which was quite popular among wealthy Chinese. And a survey by London-based Barclays Group in September found 47 percent of Chinese individuals with a net worth of more than $1.5 billion plan to move to another country within the next five years.

According to the Gallup Potential Net Migration Index released in January this year, China still stayed in the negative territory at an unchanged minus 6 percent. It is obvious, therefore, that a certain number of Chinese people wish they lived somewhere else. This figure tells a completely different story from the HSBC survey findings. So what's the underlying problem?

Actually, the survey is entitled "The best places to live abroad" and immigration is not the focus. Most importantly, the respondents are offshore clients of HSBC, with the majority of them being senior executives or top managers with an annual salary of more than $300,000.

It is fair to say that the rankings only reflect the feelings of a tiny minority of elite expats who are on packages, normally including living and school costs, that are becoming increasingly rare as local hires become the norm, and who expect to rotate back home within a few years rather than live long-term.

Nevertheless, China remains a developing country with plenty of intractable conundrums yet to resolve, notably heavy pollution, imbalances in economic growth and unequal access to education and social welfare. Many have expressed their hope to swap Beijing's smog-shrouded roads for pollution-free foreign beaches. Hence, we need to stay sober when some Chinese media distort the significance of the survey.

Now China has become a complicated place where many people are eager to come and experience while others are itching to leave.

"If you love someone, send him to New York because it's paradise. If you hate someone, send him to New York because it's hell." This popular line from the well-known 1990s Chinese TV drama A Beijinger in New York now seems quite pertinent to Beijing.

The days when expats move abroad only for the sake of souped-up salaries will go sooner or later and they will pursue a well-balanced and high-quality lifestyle. We are waiting for the day when China develops as a favorite destination for everyone, not only elite expats, to live.

The author is a freelance writer based in Beijing. [email protected]