Basically, I don't want to be an engineer in the US, but I have no choice but to go to college in the US due to my situation. What would I need to do to take steps toward working abroad? Preferably in China. I can imagine learning Chinese is a must, but what about citizenship and other things?
EDIT: Also, what other options you want to suggest?
You'll definitely want Chinese language ability. The good news is that Mandarin is not nearly as bad as some people make it out to be. There is a pretty steep initial learning curve as you get used to a tonal language, but it actually gets a lot easier (and more fun, imo) after that period. Grammar is extremely straightforward, especially for an English speaker.
Citizenship isn't incredibly easy, but neither is it totally impossible. China does not recognize dual citizenships, so you would need to renounce your existing citizenship. Assuming you are USian, that is a headache in itself (and will cost you a good chunk of money to do). Honestly this would be something that could come after the job. Get a job, move to China, eventually get permanent residency. You could move from PR to citizenship eventually, but that's going to be something that happens after you have lived in China a very long time. Permanent Residency will give you many of the benefits of citizenship. If you are married to a Chinese national, have relatives there, or can prove Chinese descent the process becomes a lot easier.
As far as the job prospects. Engineering is obviously a sought after position, but also a very competitive field. Your language ability and cultural knowledge will obviously never be as good as a native person in China, so you'd need to offer something that locals didn't already. Otherwise why would a company want to hire you instead of giving the job to a Chinese citizen. Like darkcalling mentioned, some kind of very specialized niche would be best.
There is also the possibility of working in an international company that might transfer you there, especially if you have language skills already. My company's regional head offices are there, and I have been angling for a transfer the past year or so as I brush up on my Chinese.
There is risk with this move though in the years that follow.
Why? The US is seeking a decoupling and sanctions war on China that will likely mirror their moves against Russia which could easily prompt many western companies to pull out of China or reduce presence dramatically at which point OP you'd be scrambling against all your co-workers including native Chinese to get a job to be able to stay in China.
Of course China might mirror Russia's moves to absorb some of these companies in counter-sanctions but there's no guarantee that they'll go out of their way to protect and keep western workers who after all are largely white/western chauvinists who aren't particularly pro-China in most cases. Having permanent residency by this point means you'd be more likely be kept on, lacking it means it's easier for them to dismiss you and focus on their own people and problems.
Think that US corporate interests will stop such a plan? Maybe. Maybe not. The biggest companies in the US were trying to do business and expand into the USSR and had money to gain but the US government blocked them and threatened them. It denied them the right to make profit from an enemy to hurt that enemy. Just as it has done successfully with Russia. They'll put up so many measures that inflict compliance requirements and costs and roadblocks and just plain distractions and tariffs that most western companies will choose to voluntarily exit or draw-down presence greatly I believe.
I believe this will be over an instigated, US-led Taiwan declaration of independence that they will prompt their obedient puppets there in the DPP to make which will lead to either a mainland invasion or severe coercive measures that are adequate for the US to portray China as a bad guy threatening a good guy democracy and rally the "garden' of Europe on the side of liberalism with them to do to China what they now do to Russia. As we've seen with Russia it won't be complete or sudden but gradual turning of screws which prompts companies for ideological and financial reasons to leave. One must also remember things like Epstein, the point of which is to have compromising material on business leaders that government can leverage in instances like this to force them to act in the way they desire. And of course open government blackmail that companies can either do business with the US or China which prompts them to leave to save their larger western government contracts.
It's possible this won't actually happen but there are a lot of planners and people trying to make it happen and making the moves setting the stage for it happening so if that's your way to China I'd say don't slack on getting permanent residency as soon as possible.
I have a stupid question. I doubt that this would make a big difference, but like, if my grandma is like 2 percent Chinese, would that help my family and I get citizenship, even slightly?
Very unlikely it would make any real difference. Even if your parents were Chinese, if they had naturalized to another country it wouldn't guarantee your ability to get citizenship (though if they had retained Chinese citizenship then yes, you would get citizenship).
I figured that would be the case, but good to know. Do you mind if I keep in touch and ask you any questions I come up with?
By all means, feel free. Just so you know I do not [yet] live in China myself either, but I am happy to provide what information I have.
Ahhh the tones! So fucking hard. I haven't studied Chinese, but another tonal language and it is the biggest roadblock for me. I can learn the grammar and the script, but I feel like I'll never be able to choose the right tones when speaking.
From what I've read, don't worry too much about it. Tones come naturally, eventually.
I hope so! I tend to think I'm just tone deaf :(