Bloomberg News reported on the 17th (local time) that Chinese people who are tired of coronavirus control are leaving China and establishing new homes in places such as Bangkok, Thailand and Okinawa, Japan, changing the customs around the world.
First of all, Thailand is the place where most Chinese people have immigrated recently. This is because the cultures are similar, close, and warm.
Recently, Pracha Rat Bam Pun Street in the capital Bangkok is crowded with Chinese people. This street, once filled with Thai-owned stores, is now overflowing with Chinese-character signs advertising pork restaurants, maltang restaurants, and more.
Many Chinese people also went to Okinawa, Japan. Okinawa is Japan’s poorest prefecture and relies on tourism. The clean natural environment, including turquoise sea and coral reefs, and the food that appeals to Chinese tastes are attracting Chinese people.
In the quiet coastal city of Itoman, the number of registered Chinese people surged 16% from mid-2019 to mid-2022 despite strict coronavirus travel restrictions, according to Japanese government data.
This is not only because of disillusionment with Xi Jinping’s dictatorship, but also because the Chinese economy is entering a recession, making it increasingly difficult to seize opportunities. According to UN statistics, more than 1.1 million people have left China since 2019 for this reason.
The most visited place so far is Thailand. Liu Bing (35), who started a new home in Bangkok, Thailand, said, “I chose to immigrate because I thought there was no future for the Chinese economy as well as controlling the coronavirus. “I like Thailand’s good natural environment and their slow attitude to life,” he said.
As Chinese people overflow, locals are also dissatisfied. Chinese people speak loudly in public places without any hesitation. As a result, criticism is pouring in that it ignores local norms.
Some also point out that it does not add much to the economy. This is of no real help to the local economy because Chinese people who run companies procure all labor, raw materials, and products from the mainland.
Bloomberg assessed that the changes and tensions on Pracha Rat Baampen Street clearly demonstrate the impact that the Chinese immigration wave is having on the world after the coronavirus pandemic.
Jason Sun (49), a businessman who recently settled in London, England, had never thought about immigrating until a few years ago.
He lived in Shanghai, China. But when the coronavirus lockdown was imposed, he was worried about his parents who lived in nearby Zhejiang Province, so he asked the authorities to visit his hometown. But it was rejected. Soon after, I heard that both his parents had died from coronavirus. “He had no intention of staying in China even for a moment,” he said.
People leaving China recently range from the very wealthy buying luxury real estate in Singapore or the United Arab Emirates to the very poor trying to cross the US-Mexico border with the help of smugglers.
However, the largest exodus is the middle class, skilled workers, small business owners, and educated professionals.
They see that there are no more opportunities in China and are leaving China. This is eroding China’s competitiveness. Bloomberg predicted that as long as President Xi’s coercive politics does not change, the likelihood of them returning to their home countries is not high.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.