"Real concept that sounds like a fake concept" of the day

Rent-a-foreigner

From Adage:

Rent-a-laowai (laowai means foreigner in Chinese) refers to companies hiring foreigners to attend their events solely because of their foreign faces. The laowai, usually Western, is there as a prop, and is rarely asked to do anything beyond shaking hands, eating a banquet and smiling for photos. The job calls for zero Chinese language or experience, and presumes no professional or industry knowledge.

It's a strange business, and recent media coverage has highlighted some unsavory aspects, as laowai have been unknowingly implicated in the shady activities of their hosts.

Read the full piece here.