The History of the Formation of the Chinese Diaspora in the USA

Abstract

The article is devoted to the analysis of the process of formation of the Chinese Diaspora in the USA. Chinese immigration to the United States of America has a long history and dates back to the 18^th century. The article describes the main stages of the formation of the Chinese Diaspora in the United States. The authors distinguish three key waves of Chinese migration to the USA: the first wave dates from the middle of the 19^th century until 1949; the second phase of Chinese immigration to the United States lasted from 1949 to the 1970s; the third wave of Chinese immigration to the United States covers the period from 1980 to the present.

The main features of the formation of the Chinese Diaspora in the United States were the consequences of a temporary economic downturn in the territory of the PRC after the Cultural Revolution, the attempts of the upper class of the Chinese population to provide better education for the next generation, concern about the return of the territory of Hong Kong to China, attempts to increase their income level. Hence the phenomenon of the outflow of minds from the Celestial Empire. Another feature was the liberal policy of the US towards Chinese migrants, who became participants and witnesses of political troubles inside the PRC, lack of freedom of speech in their homeland. Many Chinese move to the United States due to the fact that part of their family previously settled in these territories.