According to the South China Morning Post, a well-known international media outlet in Hong Kong, United States recently carried out another large-scale repatriation operation, repatriating 131 illegal immigrants to China.
The United States Department of Homeland Security praised the repatriation as an important step in demonstrating "continued cooperation with China on reducing illegal immigration." With the presidential election in United States approaching, the issue of immigration has become the focus of attention, and this deportation operation has attracted widespread discussion and attention.
United States and China resumed cooperation on immigration issues since earlier this year, and the repatriation flight was the second large-scale operation since 2018, showing new developments in U.S.-China cooperation on cross-border illegal immigration management.
So, what are the signals from this repatriation? Will there be new opportunities for U.S.-China cooperation on immigration?
U.S.-China cooperation to repatriate illegal immigrants
According to the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the repatriation flight took off this Tuesday with a total of 131 Chinese citizens, the second time this year that Chinese citizens have been repatriated.
The Department of Homeland Security did not disclose where the flight took off and where it was going, but emphasized the close collaboration with China's National Immigration Administration.
In fact, this is the second large-scale repatriation operation since July this year. In July, the United States conducted its first major repatriation flight since 2018, with a total of 116 Chinese citizens being repatriated.
United States Secretary of Homeland Security Alej·andro Mayorkas stressed: "No migrant should believe the lies of the smugglers – Chinese nationals without legal basis will face swift deportation." At the same time, he noted that the Department of Homeland Security will continue to strengthen penalties for illegal entry and strictly enforce the country's laws.
The repatriation comes in the run-up to United States presidential election, and immigration is becoming one of the main issues of intense debate between the two candidates, current Vice President Kamala Harris ·· former President Donald Trump, and former President Donald Trump.
Over the past few months, the United States government has taken drastic measures to strengthen border management. In June, United States President Joe · Biden issued a proclamation to crack down on illegal border crossings, temporarily banning illegal immigrants from entering United States and restricting their eligibility for asylum.
Since then, the United States Department of Homeland Security has said that by the end of August this year, migrants had been returned to more than 140 countries and regions, including China, through nearly 400 international repatriation flights.
The Chinese side also showed a positive attitude towards this cooperation. In May, the Chinese embassy in United States issued a statement saying that China "firmly opposes all forms of illegal immigration" and is willing to cooperate with United States on the issue of repatriation of illegal immigrants.
China's National Immigration Administration said it will continue to cooperate with law enforcement agencies of relevant countries, including United States, to actively crack down on serious illegal criminal activities such as smuggling.
Since the beginning of 2023, an increasing number of Chinese migrants have tried to enter the United States through the southern United States' border with Mexico. More than 21,000 Chinese citizens were arrested at the southern border between January and August, compared with 24,278 last year, according to United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Most of these migrants choose to enter the country from Ecuador – before July this year, Ecuador allowed Chinese citizens to enter without a visa, thus becoming a "transit point" for many Chinese migrants on their way to United States. After entering the country from Ecuador, the migrants began to travel north through Central America, targeting the United States' border with Mexico.
In addition, United States signed an agreement with Panama in July to prevent illegal immigrants from entering United States through the Darien Gap. Located on the border between Panama and Colombia, Darién Gorge is a rainforest and mountainous area about 60 miles long known as the "Dangerous Road." Still, the treacherous route attracted a large number of Chinese immigrants trying to enter the United States.
Signals sent by repatriation operations
What are the signals from this repatriation? First, it shows that there is still room for cooperation between the United States and China in certain areas, especially on global challenges such as illegal immigration.
Against the backdrop of complex and volatile international relations, such cooperative actions between China and the United States have created possibilities for future cooperation. Despite fierce competition in trade, science and technology, cooperation in immigration management shows that the two sides can still reach common ground on some common interests.
Second, for United States, the repatriation operation demonstrates a clear attitude toward its domestic constituents – fighting illegal immigration and maintaining border security remain one of the government's core policies.
Immigration has always been an important issue in United States domestic politics, especially in the run-up to presidential elections, and political parties often use it to win voter support. The Biden administration's choice to strengthen cooperation with China at this point in time is undoubtedly to show voters its tough approach to immigration management in response to Republican pressure on the issue.
For China, actively cooperating with United States' repatriation operations is also of far-reaching significance. First of all, it conveys to the international community China's determination to crack down on illegal immigration, which is in line with the country's overall foreign policy.
In addition, it is also an explanation to the people in China, showing the Chinese government's efforts to protect the legitimate rights and interests of citizens and prevent the security risks caused by illegal immigration. By cooperating in the fight against illegal immigration, the Chinese government can also effectively reduce the social problems caused by illegal immigration.
More broadly, the repatriation could be an entry point for the United States and China to seek further cooperation. Cooperation between China and the United States on the issue of migration, both from the perspective of bilateral relations and from the perspective of global governance, is a useful attempt.
At present, in the context of globalization, transnational crimes, illegal immigration and other problems are becoming increasingly prominent, and cooperation between countries is particularly important. The repatriation demonstrates the pragmatic approach of China and the United States in dealing with global challenges and provides a good example for future cooperation between the two countries in other areas.
However, future cooperation is not without obstacles. There are still deep contradictions and differences between China and the United States in many areas, such as trade disputes and technological competition. And whether this cooperation will be hampered by friction in other areas remains an unknown.
Therefore, future cooperation between China and the United States on immigration issues will require more patience and flexibility, and both sides need to exercise restraint on sensitive issues to avoid setbacks due to other contradictions.
A little summary
In general, the United States' action to repatriate illegal immigrants from China is not only a concrete manifestation of the cooperation between the two countries in the field of immigration management, but also a relatively positive aspect of Sino-US relations.
Against the backdrop of domestic political tensions and impending elections in the United States, this action also sends a large message to voters and the international community that China and the United States can still cooperate on certain global issues.
For China, this cooperation will help to raise the country's image and show its positive attitude towards the problem of illegal immigration.
In the future, as the U.S.-China relationship continues to evolve, similar cooperation may continue.
Although the two countries have contradictions in many fields, their common interests in combating illegal immigration and maintaining border security are still likely to promote communication and cooperation between the two sides in specific areas.
Such cooperation will not only help to reduce tensions between the two sides, but also help address increasingly complex global challenges.