The Chinese Diaspora: Four Centuries of Global Migration

The Chinese diaspora is one of the largest migration movements in modern history. Over the past four centuries, Chinese people have established communities across Asia, the Americas, Europe, and beyond, numbering over 50 million today.

Waves of Migration

The first major wave came in the 16th century, as merchants established communities in Southeast Asia. The 19th century brought hundreds of thousands of laborers to mines, plantations, and railroads across the Americas and Pacific.

Southeast Asian Chinese

In Singapore, Chinese people constitute 76 percent of the population. Indonesian Chinese and Thai Chinese have become economic powerhouses. Overseas Chinese remittances have driven economic development in China itself.