China is a problem.

Their production of beads now attracts buyers from around the globe.
Repros of such things as old Venetian, ancient Chinese glass, Dzi beads is one thing, but the immense variety of beads now pouring out is just staggering. It pretty much makes it impossible for any artisan bead maker to actually earn a living making studio beads. even with the internet providing wider venues such as eBay and Etsy? What about TaoBao?

And since Xi Jinping's crackdown on The Great Firewall, correspondence with anyone in China seems to have become far more difficult than it was a few years ago - and may actually endanger Chinese correspondents in ways we know not.

Accessing Chinese websites and using Google Translate is also not without hazards, from spam emails and tracking cookies if nothing else. Anyone here using a VPN? Ad blocker?

So we can buy beads from the Chinese, but we cannot discuss much with them anymore?