Who is leaving HK, Anecdotal Evidence - Part 2

[dynamco]

would be ironic to see a departed Hong Konger as a future PM in UK
https://www.theguardian.com/politics...warns-loyalist

[Cheeky Kiwi]

Nathan Law for PM！

[shri]

would be ironic to see a departed Hong Konger as a future PM in UK
https://www.theguardian.com/politics...warns-loyalist

The lack of high profile ethnic Chinese in UK politics has always left me wondering what the differences in emigration has been compared to Indian / South Asian ethnicities who seem to be more involved in govt and policy roles.

[Cheeky Kiwi]

Not confident of their English?

But that doesn’t apply to second generation Chinese immigrants

[shree711]

The lack of high profile ethnic Chinese in UK politics has always left me wondering what the differences in emigration has been compared to Indian / South Asian ethnicities who seem to be more involved in govt and policy roles.

I think that Indians have much bigger numbers in the UK than the Chinese and actually can swing a few seats. That probably makes the difference. Pakistanis also have a large influence in politics, especially on the Labour Party side. If more Chinese people migrate, within a generation, you will see more ethnic Chinese politicians.

[hullexile]

I think that Indians have much bigger numbers in the UK than the Chinese and actually can swing a few seats. That probably makes the difference. Pakistanis also have a large influence in politics, especially on the Labour Party side. If more Chinese people migrate, within a generation, you will see more ethnic Chinese politicians.

Not sure that is the major reason. It may account for the election of a few MPs but not all.

In Hull the Chinese used to be the largest minority and yet I don't remember or heard of there ever being a Chinese member of the local council.

[Coolboy]

Not sure that is the major reason. It may account for the election of a few MPs but not all.

In Hull the Chinese used to be the largest minority and yet I don't remember or heard of there ever being a Chinese member of the local council.

There could be a more historical and cultural reason. Chinese migrants, whether to the UK or US, Canada or Australia, traditionally kept their heads down and focus on making a living in their new home rather than focus on raising their profile in the public. This stems from historical discrimination against Chinese migrants and race riots that targeted Chinese migrants. As a response, Chinese migrants group together in neighbourhoods to better defend themselves, hence the creation of China Towns. They also fear being targeted again and thus prefer to maintain a low public profile, focusing their energy instead on making a living and starting and growing their business.

In addition, unlike Indians, Chinese migrants did not have a long experience with public participation in politics at home or in their home in the West. China did not have a democratic form of governance and even in the case of HK, there was limited voting rights. For Taiwan, it only became a fully fledged democracy in the last two decades or so. Combined that with historical disenfranchisement in their new homes in the West, and that tend to dissuade Chinese migrants from more active participation in politics. India by comparison had been a democracy since independence in 1947 and there is a long tradition of mass political participation.

This is starting to change, notably in Canada and Australia, where a large Chinese ethnic population has given rise to a more substantial numbers of native second or third generation Chinese descendants in both countries. Born and raise with Western values, this has led to more Chinese ethnic MPs and ministers in both Canada and Australia, at both the provincial/state and federal level. But in the UK, the Chinese migrant population is not big enough (yet) for that to occur.

[hullexile]

There could be a more historical and cultural reason. Chinese migrants, whether to the UK or US, Canada or Australia, traditionally kept their heads down and focus on making a living in their new home rather than focus on raising their profile in the public. This stems from historical discrimination against Chinese migrants and race riots that targeted Chinese migrants. As a response, Chinese migrants group together in neighbourhoods to better defend themselves, hence the creation of China Towns. They also fear being targeted again and thus prefer to maintain a low public profile, focusing their energy instead on making a living and starting and growing their business.

In addition, unlike Indians, Chinese migrants did not have a long experience with public participation in politics at home or in their home in the West. China did not have a democratic form of governance and even in the case of HK, there was limited voting rights. For Taiwan, it only became a fully fledged democracy in the last two decades or so. Combined that with historical disenfranchisement in their new homes in the West, and that tend to dissuade Chinese migrants from more active participation in politics. India by comparison had been a democracy since independence in 1947 and there is a long tradition of mass political participation.

This is starting to change, notably in Canada and Australia, where a large Chinese ethnic population has given rise to a more substantial numbers of native second or third generation Chinese descendants in both countries. Born and raise with Western values, this has led to more Chinese ethnic MPs and ministers in both Canada and Australia, at both the provincial/state and federal level. But in the UK, the Chinese migrant population is not big enough (yet) for that to occur.

Yes the numbers are less than I thought:

393,000 British Chinese and 124,000 Chinese nationals in England and Wales. That was before the current influx.

[shree711]

Yes the numbers are less than I thought:

393,000 British Chinese and 124,000 Chinese nationals in England and Wales. That was before the current influx.

As of the 2011 Census, there were 1,451,862 Indians, 1,174,983 Pakistanis, 451,529 Bangladeshis. There are also Sri Lankans and Nepalese. So overall, much more people from the subcontinent than Chinese people in general.

By 2021, the numbers would have probably increased further. Although I expect the numbers for the Chinese to have risen significantly during the same period too.

[Skyhook]

There could be a more historical and cultural reason. Chinese migrants, whether to the UK or US, Canada or Australia, traditionally kept their heads down and focus on making a living in their new home rather than focus on raising their profile in the public. This stems from historical discrimination against Chinese migrants and race riots that targeted Chinese migrants. As a response, Chinese migrants group together in neighbourhoods to better defend themselves, hence the creation of China Towns. They also fear being targeted again and thus prefer to maintain a low public profile, focusing their energy instead on making a living and starting and growing their business.

In addition, unlike Indians, Chinese migrants did not have a long experience with public participation in politics at home or in their home in the West. China did not have a democratic form of governance and even in the case of HK, there was limited voting rights. For Taiwan, it only became a fully fledged democracy in the last two decades or so. Combined that with historical disenfranchisement in their new homes in the West, and that tend to dissuade Chinese migrants from more active participation in politics. India by comparison had been a democracy since independence in 1947 and there is a long tradition of mass political participation.

This is starting to change, notably in Canada and Australia, where a large Chinese ethnic population has given rise to a more substantial numbers of native second or third generation Chinese descendants in both countries. Born and raise with Western values, this has led to more Chinese ethnic MPs and ministers in both Canada and Australia, at both the provincial/state and federal level. But in the UK, the Chinese migrant population is not big enough (yet) for that to occur.

We've technically had two Melbourne Mayors of Shanghainese and Hong Kong descent. In 1978 David Wang who died of a heart attack before he took his official Mayoral robes and sworn in and the well liked, John So who was elected mayor in the early 2000's...Plus in the Federal govt we have a few Chinese Aussie MP's, none more well known than Labor's Penny Wong. Understandable considering Chinese Australian citizens are the largest Asian minority group. Pretty cool hey :-)