Chinese Diasporas of the USA and Canada and new Chinese migration

The article is devoted to Chinese Diasporas of the USA and Canada, new Chinese migrations impact onChinese Diasporas in the countries, changes within the Diasporas in the period of new migration, Beijings policy toward the overseasChinese. In spite of the USA being considered as the country of the old Chinese Diaspora, the main part of the Diaspora arrived to theUSA after 1980. Surge of the Diaspora size growth fell on the period of new migration in 1990-2000s. The first Chinese arrived toAmerica in 17-18th centuries. But an influx of Chinese migrants fell on the middle of the 19th century. Gold mining and construction inthe USA and Canada attracted them. The influx of Chinese migrants resulted in limiting of the Chinese entry into the USA and Canada.In 1882 such measures were taken in the USA and after 1895 - in Canada. Canada imposed an immigration tax, and the tax rate increasedannually. The Chinese Immigration Act adopted in Canada in 1923 banned Chinese immigrants to enter Canada except for merchants,diplomats and students. The measures reduced the number of Chinese immigrants. Only after its abolishing in the 1940s Chinesemigration to the USA and Canada started to grow. Further liberalization of immigration policy and procedures led to the increase of thenumber of the Chinese in the USA. The repealing of the Chinese Exclusion Act allowed the ethnic Chinese to apply for U.S. citizenship.Nowadays, the Chinese Diaspora of North America is the second largest Chinese Diaspora in the world (after Southeast Asias ChineseDiaspora). New migration affected both the number and structure of Chinese Diaspora. New migration changed the structure of thetraditional Chinese Diaspora, globalised and diversified the overseas Chinese societies and associations, intensified its interaction withChina. A broader socio-economic and geographic structure of new migration has changed the traditional Chinese Diaspora, making itless homogeneous and more compound, expanding the range of socio-economic activities. Rising mobility has contributed to forming ofdirect channels of interaction with China and reinforcement of overseas Chinese patriotism.

Keywords

Authors

References