Nine years ago, Tom Carter traveled from San Francisco to China, responding to a job posting that turned out to be a scam. He managed to find another job as a teacher, and saved enough money to embark on a 56,000 km trip through all of China's 33 provinces that lasted two years. Carrying a camera – just a a 4-megapixel point-and-shoot – Carter captured some amazing images of the widely varying landscape, people, and architecture across the nation. Photo: Buddhist pilgrim family from Sichuan. (Photo by Tom Carter via The Atlantic)

Taiwanese and Chinese nationals suspected of telecom fraud are surrounded by China police SWAT team and Cambodia police as they were deported to China at the International Airport of Phnom Penh, June 24, 2016. Scores of Chinese police officers swarmed the tarmac at Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday as 39 suspects arrested for their involvement in an alleged telecom scam were herded onto a chartered plane bound for China – including 25 Taiwanese nationals, whose government unsuccessfully attempted to have them repatriated. (Photo by Samrang Pring/Reuters)

Low economic conditions in China’s urban areas have sparked an increase of beggars faking disabilities in an attempt to gain more money. Cities like Shanghai and Hong Kong are littered with naive tourists who are more than willing to hand over a few yen to anyone appearing to be handicapped in anyway.

Participants from an art group wearing traditional dresses rehearse Garba dance ahead of the Navratri festival in Ahmedabad on September 20, 2022. (Photo by Sam Panthaky/AFP)

Filipa Martins of Portugal fails to grab the bar as she performs the uneven bars during the Women's All-Around Final at the 50th FIG Artis​tic Gymnastics World Championships in​ Kitakyushu, Japan, 21 October 2021. (Photo by Kimimasa Mayama/EPA/EFE)

Yoga enthusiasts perform a yoga exercise in a wine yoga class inside “Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience”, a multi-sensorial exhibition featuring artworks of renowned artist Vincent van Gogh at a department store in Bangkok, Thailand, August 5, 2023. (Photo by Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters)

A police officer from an explosive disposal unit takes part in a security drill ahead of next year's general election in Sidoarjo, East Java, on August 23, 2023. (Photo by Juni Kriswanto/AFP Photo)

French celebrities show off dresses made with chocolate at the Paris chocolate fair on October 27, 2021 in Paris, France. From left: Gennifer Demey, a weather forecaster; Isabelle Vitari, an actress; and Alicia Aylies, Miss France 2017. (Photo by Laurent Viteur/Getty Images)