Since ancient times, China has had the reputation of "magnificent China" and "vast land and abundant resources". Since its opening, it has developed rapidly.
And the United States, a country built on immigration. This so-called "population melting pot" still attracts some Chinese who lack a sense of national and national identity to emigrate.
So far, 8.58 million Chinese have emigrated overseas, and one out of four Chinese has immigrated to the United States.
Many people go to the U.S. with dreams in mind, either to study or to work. Those who are able to do so can even get a green card and become a U.S. citizen.
After reading the detailed statistical data, many Chinese people feel particularly cold.
Select the United States
Although Chinese immigration to the United States can be traced back to the Qing Dynasty, a large number of Chinese followed black ships to the other side of the ocean during that era.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China, there was also a wave of immigrants who were nicknamed "foreign team".
But what really drove the flow of people between China and the United States was the easing of immigration policies in the United States.
Especially after the opening up, many people have eaten the dividends and made a fortune.
After achieving economic freedom, some people naturally have the idea of going out to see, or to live in a country or city that they are more interested in, or more suitable for.
And the Internet was not widespread during that time. The vast majority of Chinese can only contact the world and learn about other countries through traditional media such as newspapers, magazines, and television.
Under the propaganda of the American media, the United States is the only superpower in the world. People naturally feel that the United States will be better than China in terms of living environment, cultural tolerance, and opportunities.
And those who are able to do so will naturally want to go to the United States and compete with the so-called "best people in the world."
There are also those who are attracted by the living environment and the atmosphere of "freedom" described in American propaganda, so they go to the United States to settle down.
This is one of the reasons why people choose the United States one after another, regardless of the fact that many countries in the world do not go.
But in terms of the reasons for immigration, the most important reason is education.
Even though the basic education system in China is very perfect, the overall quality of higher education is still different from that of other countries.
According to the latest international university rankings, almost all of the top 10 universities are in the United States. Tsinghua University, the country's highest, is only ranked 20th.
In the era of rapid development of science and technology and the explosion of information, receiving more advanced education means more opportunities for development and better development opportunities.
At the same time, the pressure of further education in China is much higher than that abroad.
The domestic college entrance examination is described as a single-plank bridge for thousands of troops, and even if the wisdom and hard work are different from ordinary people, it is difficult to guarantee that they can be admitted to the ideal university.
Relatively speaking, the competitive pressure and difficulty of studying abroad will be much less. Even if you can't get into a high-ranking school, if you go to an ordinary school abroad, you will add a layer of filter for returnee qualifications, and you can still have a good development after returning home.
As we all know, the composition of Chinese immigrants to the United States is very complex. There are international students who choose to work in the United States for higher salaries, and there are wealthy businessmen who choose to move overseas just to live in the United States or spend their old age in peace. Although the proportion is not high, the existence of such groups cannot be denied.
However, although the vast majority of immigrants come to the United States through legal means and for legitimate purposes. Regardless of these statuses, those immigrants who eventually remain in the United States and their descendants are referred to as "Chinese-Americans."
Life after immigration
It is true that the United States is a free and open country. While freedom and openness offer more opportunities, they also come with more dangers.
The first and foremost issue is security.
With the rapid development of the Internet, the information cocoon made in the United States has broken itself. There are more ways for people to learn about a relatively real America.
And the law and order situation in the United States has also been revealed to the Chinese people. The legal circulation of guns and a variety of reasons have contributed to the state of policing in the United States.
Even locked doors and windows can still be stolen, and walking down the road can be robbed at any time. And the efficiency of the police in the United States is also worrying.
Perhaps white and wealthy neighborhoods would be relatively safe, but most immigrants cannot afford the high rents, and secondly, the injustice to the Asian community.
Racial discrimination is a common situation in the United States, where people of color and blacks are discriminated against by whites, both visible and invisible.
Although the situation of Asians is slightly better than that of blacks. But there are still a lot of problems.
For example, some Asian American students encounter "ceilings" and are subject to various abnormal restrictions when applying to top universities.
Although the Asian immigrant community has been trying to defend their rights in a variety of ways, it is still difficult to make progress.
In addition, there are changes in lifestyle and eating habits.
Large cities in the United States may be as convenient as large cities in China, and will have a well-developed urban service system. But there are still many differences compared to China. People who are new to the U.S. can find it inconvenient.
Especially in terms of transactions, the main way to trade in the United States is still to carry cash with you. Many Americans who have lived in China for a long time have a hard time adjusting back to the United States. Not to mention the Chinese who have just arrived in the United States.
There is also a language barrier, and many people just immigrate with enthusiasm. But after coming to the local area, there were a lot of ridiculous things due to the language barrier.
As for the diet, it may not be very accustomed to it when you first arrive in the United States. But now there are more and more Chinese restaurants abroad, and there is really no way to cook by yourself. Compared with other problems, dietary problems are easier to solve.
However, these issues are limited to people who immigrated to the U.S. through legal means. But there are also illegal immigrants among immigrants.
For illegal immigrants, the biggest issue is not just safety, but also jobs. Since they do not have legal status, regular companies do not hire illegal immigrants.
They are forced to accept low-wage jobs with high levels of labor. For example, washing dishes, but not only washing dishes.
Although the income obtained looks very impressive when converted into RMB. But where dollars are earned and dollars are spent, such income is difficult to even make ends meet. I can't even afford to rent a normal house, so I can only huddle into a cramped and dirty hut with other people.
But getting sick in such an environment is inevitable. This, in turn, adds to the burden on these illegal immigrants.
In the long run, the vast majority of illegal immigrants either return home in disarray, or become homeless people who can be seen everywhere in the streets of the United States.
Migration impacts
It is undeniable that the mainland has a population of 1.4 billion, and immigration has indeed alleviated the population pressure and employment problems on the mainland to a certain extent. Especially for some provinces with large populations.
Moreover, Chinese people have also contributed to the spread of Chinese culture after immigrating overseas. It has contributed to the promotion of cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries.
The most prominent example is Chinatown in the United States. In addition to many Chinese, there are also Chinese cultural customs everywhere. Whether it's festivals, Chinese specialties, and snacks, you can see them everywhere here.
The huge number of immigrants is also indirectly promoting people-to-people exchanges and business exchanges between China and the United States.
There are many patriotic international students and researchers who have returned to China to participate in the construction after studying in the United States and bringing cutting-edge knowledge and advanced culture back to China. All of these people have become superstars who are struggling on the front line of construction. There are also people who return to their hometowns to promote the construction of their hometowns after the United States is developed.
But immigration also brings with it some new problems.
The first problem is brain drain.
Some high-quality talents will choose to settle overseas after immigrating overseas, and some wealthy will move overseas after accumulating enough wealth.
Secondly, different cultures need to be run into, and cultural differences will bring many unnecessary misunderstandings.
At the same time, there are also a small number of immigrants who will cause some misconduct due to their own quality and other reasons, smearing the image of Chinese people in the world.
For example, some people make loud noises and spit in public, causing dissatisfaction among local people; Another example is that some lawbreakers engage in illegal activities abroad.
epilogue
There is no right or wrong way to immigrate. Everyone has the right to choose their own way of life. What is chilling is the words and deeds of some people who "the moon in a foreign country is relatively round" and "look at the moon in a foreign country is relatively round".
In today's environment, access to and access to information is increasing and comprehensive. Coupled with the rapid development of the country, perhaps it is a better choice to stay in a safe and stable motherland.
After all, as the saying goes, a golden nest and a silver nest are not as good as your own nest.