Africans in GuangdongAugust 15, 2010
By Palash R. Ghosh
International Business Times
Go East, young man.
China's emergence as a global economic superpower has, perhaps inevitably, made it a desired destination for immigrants from Third World countries, particularly in Africa.
While the number of arrivals (legal and otherwise) remain microscopic relative to China's billion-plus native population, perhaps this trickle of foreign newcomers represents a shift in global economic migratory patterns -- that is, away from traditional emigrant targets like Western Europe and North America, and to the burgeoning economies of East Asia.
Africans have been traveling to China since as long ago as the 1960s when Chairman Mao-Tse-Tung welcomed students in the name of Third World solidarity (as Russia also did).
But those Africans -- who primarily came from the elite classes -- were few in number and it was never the intention of Chinese authorities to allow them to live there permanently. Now, however, African immigrants are overwhelmingly going to China for purely financial reasons as small-time entrepreneurs.
While Chinese officials claim there are currently about 20,000 Africans in the country, media reports indicate the true number is much higher, perhaps 200,000 or even more.
Most of the Africans are concentrated in Guangdong, a prosperous province in the southern part of the country -- indeed, an area of the local city of Guangzhou has been dubbed "Africa Town" or "Chocolate City." Many originated in Nigeria, although Africans come from all over the continent, including Senegal, Congo, The Gambia, Somalia, South Africa, Cameroon, Niger, and Liberia.
According to official data, the dramatic increase in the arrival of Africans started in 1998 and accelerated after China’s membership in the World Trade Organization in 2001. Between 2003 and 2007, African immigration increased by 30- to 40-percent annually.
Zai Liang, professor of sociology at State University of New York-Albany, said the pace of African immigration "has been rising very quickly until the past two years or so when the government began to take a tough stand on undocumented Africans, i.e., by detaining them and in some cases, through deportations."
Sun Yan, a professor of political science at City University of New York, points out that African migration to China has little if anything to do with China's massive economic push into Africa for the development of its untapped natural resources.
"These are two separate issues," she said. "Most Africans cite China’s political and economic stability as the reason for coming, plus the bustling trade. In fact, Africa is now China’s second largest trading partner, after the U.S."
However, Zai believes the two themes are indeed inter-related.
"[It's] just like for the U.S., where involvement in other countries also tends to draw immigrants from these countries," he said. "After all, as Chinese companies invest in Africa, building infrastructure, these efforts inevitably create social connections between Africans and Chinese. Some Africans simply used these kinds of connections to get visas to China."
In addition, Zai explains, some Africans take advantage of a particular market niche because many Chinese businessmen say that it is too dangerous to do business in Africa.
"Of course, there are Chinese doing business in Africa, but given Africa’s market size, it simply does not meet the demand for Chinese goods," he said. "Therefore Africans come to China to do business."
In addition, the heightened anti-immigration sentiments in the fragile economies of Western Europe and the U.S. may also be a motivating factor in favoring China.
Indeed, African merchants are more responsive to the economic opportunities in China than the worsening situation in the U.S. or Europe, said Zai.
"As we know, the global financial crisis did not seem to impact China as bad as it did to the U.S. and Europe," he added.
In addition, it's much easier for Africans to receive a temporary visa for China, compared to getting them for legal stays in the industrialized West.
Of course, China is also attracting small waves of immigrants from other poorer lands, including Vietnam, The Philippines and North Korea, but due to their significantly different physical appearance, Africans seem to draw more attention.
Like any poor immigrants in an alien society, Africans face much hardship in China -- not the least of which is racial prejudice and hostility. The vast majority of Mainland Chinese have never travelled outside the country, nor even seen foreigners in person. Many hold negative or stereotypical views of African people.
Even worse, a great many Africans in China are illegal and find it difficult, if not impossible, to extend (or even obtain) legal visas. Chinese media periodically report on 'immigration raids' all over Guangdong to root out illegals and those who have stayed beyond the duration of their visas.
Sun explains that according to the deputy director of the immigration section in Guangdong’s public safety bureau, 70 percent of illegal foreigners in the province in 2008 were Africans. That number jumped to 77 percent in the first half of 2009.
"This has prompted a rise in black market for 'real visas,'" she noted.
Chinese citizenship is very difficult to acquire, regardless of one's origin.
"Very few foreigners have got citizenship," Sun said. "For certain types of work (investors, business people, professional experts, etc.) some get long-term resident cards. Also, a few hundred Africans have married locals so citizenship is possible."
Though likely not probable.
Indeed, African immigrants with official visas and visa extensions are decreasing, due to the improvement in immigrant-related regulations in China since, she added.
"For example, Africans used to arrive by tourist visas and these allowed multiple entries within a year. Then they overstayed," she noted.
Since 2008, new regulations require Africans to get specific visas for study, work, and the tourist visa is for one month only.
"They either have to leave and re-enter with new visas or go to the black market," Sun explained. "The deportation of illegals have occurred since 2008, at Chinese expense (air ticket), although many try return though."
The overall numbers of deportations may be decreasing or stable, however.
"Part of the reason for the decrease is that some Africans are moving to Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam, Cambodia for new opportunities," she said.
China is not the only country Africans have sought to enter. In fact, many have tried their fortune first in the Middle East, then Japan and South Korea, then Indonesia and Malaysia, then finally Guangdong.
"After exhausting their welcome or opportunities in each place, they move on," Sun explained.
Since economic migration to China is a relatively new phenomenon, the government's response to increased immigration is still in its early stages and evolving.
"This is relatively a new challenge for the policymakers because China has mostly been known as a country of emigration and is just now becoming a country that attracts immigrants," Zai noted.
China began to implement a 'green card' system in 2004 -- but these documents are designed for highly-skilled, well-educated foreigners or for those
who have made major investments in China.
"Clearly, 99 percent of African merchants do not fit in this category," he noted. "However, they can get their visa renewed, but this costs money."
Sun notes that the first local center for immigrant administration was established in 2006 in the Yuexiu district of Guangzhou, which had jurisdiction over the area of "Chocolate City."
In 2007, the first service center for immigrants was established in a local borough of Guangdong, providing information about Chinese law, rentals, education and health care.
"One main concern is a lack of regulation over the family planning of the immigrant communities, in an already over-populous country," she noted. "Another is the rise of crime, mainly human smuggling, robbery, drug trafficking and commercial fraud. African immigrants in Guangdong, aware that a few bad apples have tarnished their overall image, have set up self-help groups to police problems like illegal stays and crime, and to cooperate with local authorities in dealing with these problems. "
It is quite reasonable to predict that as China's gains an ever larger piece of the global economic pie, it will receive many many more immigrants desperate to exploit its growing wealth.
China's emergence as a global economic superpower has, perhaps inevitably, made it a desired destination for immigrants from Third World countries, particularly in Africa.
While the number of arrivals (legal and otherwise) remain microscopic relative to China's billion-plus native population, perhaps this trickle of foreign newcomers represents a shift in global economic migratory patterns -- that is, away from traditional emigrant targets like Western Europe and North America, and to the burgeoning economies of East Asia.
Africans have been traveling to China since as long ago as the 1960s when Chairman Mao-Tse-Tung welcomed students in the name of Third World solidarity (as Russia also did).
But those Africans -- who primarily came from the elite classes -- were few in number and it was never the intention of Chinese authorities to allow them to live there permanently. Now, however, African immigrants are overwhelmingly going to China for purely financial reasons as small-time entrepreneurs.
While Chinese officials claim there are currently about 20,000 Africans in the country, media reports indicate the true number is much higher, perhaps 200,000 or even more.
Most of the Africans are concentrated in Guangdong, a prosperous province in the southern part of the country -- indeed, an area of the local city of Guangzhou has been dubbed "Africa Town" or "Chocolate City." Many originated in Nigeria, although Africans come from all over the continent, including Senegal, Congo, The Gambia, Somalia, South Africa, Cameroon, Niger, and Liberia.
According to official data, the dramatic increase in the arrival of Africans started in 1998 and accelerated after China’s membership in the World Trade Organization in 2001. Between 2003 and 2007, African immigration increased by 30- to 40-percent annually.
Zai Liang, professor of sociology at State University of New York-Albany, said the pace of African immigration "has been rising very quickly until the past two years or so when the government began to take a tough stand on undocumented Africans, i.e., by detaining them and in some cases, through deportations."
Sun Yan, a professor of political science at City University of New York, points out that African migration to China has little if anything to do with China's massive economic push into Africa for the development of its untapped natural resources.
"These are two separate issues," she said. "Most Africans cite China’s political and economic stability as the reason for coming, plus the bustling trade. In fact, Africa is now China’s second largest trading partner, after the U.S."
However, Zai believes the two themes are indeed inter-related.
"[It's] just like for the U.S., where involvement in other countries also tends to draw immigrants from these countries," he said. "After all, as Chinese companies invest in Africa, building infrastructure, these efforts inevitably create social connections between Africans and Chinese. Some Africans simply used these kinds of connections to get visas to China."
In addition, Zai explains, some Africans take advantage of a particular market niche because many Chinese businessmen say that it is too dangerous to do business in Africa.
"Of course, there are Chinese doing business in Africa, but given Africa’s market size, it simply does not meet the demand for Chinese goods," he said. "Therefore Africans come to China to do business."
In addition, the heightened anti-immigration sentiments in the fragile economies of Western Europe and the U.S. may also be a motivating factor in favoring China.
Indeed, African merchants are more responsive to the economic opportunities in China than the worsening situation in the U.S. or Europe, said Zai.
"As we know, the global financial crisis did not seem to impact China as bad as it did to the U.S. and Europe," he added.
In addition, it's much easier for Africans to receive a temporary visa for China, compared to getting them for legal stays in the industrialized West.
Of course, China is also attracting small waves of immigrants from other poorer lands, including Vietnam, The Philippines and North Korea, but due to their significantly different physical appearance, Africans seem to draw more attention.
Like any poor immigrants in an alien society, Africans face much hardship in China -- not the least of which is racial prejudice and hostility. The vast majority of Mainland Chinese have never travelled outside the country, nor even seen foreigners in person. Many hold negative or stereotypical views of African people.
Even worse, a great many Africans in China are illegal and find it difficult, if not impossible, to extend (or even obtain) legal visas. Chinese media periodically report on 'immigration raids' all over Guangdong to root out illegals and those who have stayed beyond the duration of their visas.
Sun explains that according to the deputy director of the immigration section in Guangdong’s public safety bureau, 70 percent of illegal foreigners in the province in 2008 were Africans. That number jumped to 77 percent in the first half of 2009.
"This has prompted a rise in black market for 'real visas,'" she noted.
Chinese citizenship is very difficult to acquire, regardless of one's origin.
"Very few foreigners have got citizenship," Sun said. "For certain types of work (investors, business people, professional experts, etc.) some get long-term resident cards. Also, a few hundred Africans have married locals so citizenship is possible."
Though likely not probable.
Indeed, African immigrants with official visas and visa extensions are decreasing, due to the improvement in immigrant-related regulations in China since, she added.
"For example, Africans used to arrive by tourist visas and these allowed multiple entries within a year. Then they overstayed," she noted.
Since 2008, new regulations require Africans to get specific visas for study, work, and the tourist visa is for one month only.
"They either have to leave and re-enter with new visas or go to the black market," Sun explained. "The deportation of illegals have occurred since 2008, at Chinese expense (air ticket), although many try return though."
The overall numbers of deportations may be decreasing or stable, however.
"Part of the reason for the decrease is that some Africans are moving to Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam, Cambodia for new opportunities," she said.
China is not the only country Africans have sought to enter. In fact, many have tried their fortune first in the Middle East, then Japan and South Korea, then Indonesia and Malaysia, then finally Guangdong.
"After exhausting their welcome or opportunities in each place, they move on," Sun explained.
Since economic migration to China is a relatively new phenomenon, the government's response to increased immigration is still in its early stages and evolving.
"This is relatively a new challenge for the policymakers because China has mostly been known as a country of emigration and is just now becoming a country that attracts immigrants," Zai noted.
China began to implement a 'green card' system in 2004 -- but these documents are designed for highly-skilled, well-educated foreigners or for those
who have made major investments in China.
"Clearly, 99 percent of African merchants do not fit in this category," he noted. "However, they can get their visa renewed, but this costs money."
Sun notes that the first local center for immigrant administration was established in 2006 in the Yuexiu district of Guangzhou, which had jurisdiction over the area of "Chocolate City."
In 2007, the first service center for immigrants was established in a local borough of Guangdong, providing information about Chinese law, rentals, education and health care.
"One main concern is a lack of regulation over the family planning of the immigrant communities, in an already over-populous country," she noted. "Another is the rise of crime, mainly human smuggling, robbery, drug trafficking and commercial fraud. African immigrants in Guangdong, aware that a few bad apples have tarnished their overall image, have set up self-help groups to police problems like illegal stays and crime, and to cooperate with local authorities in dealing with these problems. "
It is quite reasonable to predict that as China's gains an ever larger piece of the global economic pie, it will receive many many more immigrants desperate to exploit its growing wealth.
3 comments:
Black are unproductive people as seen through out EU and the US. More blacks more crimes, and chinese people don't need them to creating a social unrest. Send them back to countries them had robbed them blind like England, French, or America.
Oh common, don't be racists.
China can be a great country if they do that racists stuff...
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