Trends and government policies: reducing irregular migration from China

Trends and government policies: reducing irregular migration from China

Published Jan 2005

Author

J.K. Chin

Publisher

Focus themes

Focus regions

Focus countries

Open full report
How to curb irregular Chinese migration

Since the 1980’s, an unprecedented form of Chinese migration has emerged giving rise to trafficking in human beings and irregular migration, which are at present serious human rights issues. Arguably, the largest percentage of East Asian irregular immigrants to Europe are from China.

The goal of this paper is to examine the trends of Chinese irregular migration and government policies and provide policy makers with an empirical perceptiveness on the most explosive emigration Chinese region. Collection of data on the topic is based on content analysis of Chinese Newspapers and interviews with people involved in illegal migration.

The author points out that new irregular migrants from China are mainly natives of Zhejiang and Fujian provinces and that it is through the coastal areas, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Macau, Taipei and Hong Kong that Chinese people are provided with fake passports and visas.

The author’s analysis of the migration trends identifies three types of irregular migration:

  • smuggling out of China through human trafficking groups
  • leaving China legally but changing identity and becoming illegal migrants in transit countries
  • emigration through fake marriages.

In addition, the author underlines both operating modes of irregular emigration human trafficking groups. The Vertical mode could be divided into five levels: three top levels located overseas to assist the movement of migrants and the lower two levels locally situated, in charge of recruiting Chinese migrants to be. In the horizontal one, human trafficking dominates a vast criminal network.

Chinese government policies towards irregular emigration appear to be consistent, adopting a three leveled approach where policies and regulations issued by the central government are general principles and requirements, while the governments at both the provincial level and county level have to focus on details in their effort to solve the problem of local irregular migration activities by enacting tougher and more demanding policies and regulations. According to the author, the Chinese irregular flow will not end as long as the disparities between China and western countries remain. The author makes several recommendations to reduce Chinese illegal migration that include:

  • the development of China’s economic reform
  • more cooperation and transparency between Chinese authorities and European recipient countries
  • more skepticism on the part of EU countries when granting political refugee asylum grants
  • information and education campaigns, launched jointly by EU and Chinese authorities, depicting real life and hardships of illegal Chinese migrants
  • a stronger cooperation among law enforcement agencies in East Asia and South Asia
  • allocation of budget by EU for the settlement of a research team to monitor China’s migration activities and provide policy suggestions accordingly.

Related content

  • Document

    Emerging powers and the changing global environment: leadership, norms and institutions

    M. Qobo / South African Institute of International Affairs, 2011
    The rise of economically influential countries from the developing world is still a relatively new area of research, which is receiving increasing focus from international business actors, foreign policymakers and international relations scholars.
  • Document

    Seen, heard and counted: rethinking care in a development context

    S. Razavi (ed) / Development and Change Journal, 2012
    This is a diverse collection of contributions covering various aspects of care from around the world, from Chinese women’s burdens under economic reform, to the political and social organisation of childcare in Argentina.
  • Document

    Another BRIC in the wall? South Africa's developmental impact and contradictory rise in Africa and beyond

    P. Carmody / 2012
    Globalisation is transforming the nature of authority in international relations, as hegemony is replaced by geo-governance, involving a more varied set of actors. However, private authority over markets and resources is still often constituted and refracted through states.
  • Document

    Competition and cooperation between Europe and China in the wind power sector

    R. Lema / Climate Change and Disasters Group, Institute of Development Studies, Sussex, UK, 2011
    This paper uses a value chain lens to examine the prospects for competition and cooperation between Europe and China in the global wind power sector. Drawing on insights from fieldwork conducted in 2010, combined with secondary industry data, the study finds that Chinese and European industries are developing distinct models of industrial-technological organisation.
  • Document

    Trilateral development cooperation between the European Union, China and Africa: what prospects for South Africa?

    A. K. Stahl / Centre for Chinese Studies, University of Stellenbosch, 2012
    This discussion paper aims at advancing the debate around trilateral development cooperation between the European Union (EU), China and Africa. The discussion on trilateral development cooperation between these three actors considers the role of the EU as a traditional donor and that of China as an emerging donor, while failing to grasp the potential of African actors.
More like this