Introduction
Chinese immigration to the United States of America dates back to the 1850s. Many immigrants choose America as their destination of choice because of economic, social, and political reasons.
Chinese immigration to the U.S began during the Industrial Revolution when foreign workers migrated to the U.S. in large numbers as gold miners, factory workers, and agricultural laborers (Behnke, 2005). Chinese immigrants played a vital role in the construction of the American railroad. As years advanced, more Chinese workers migrated to America with some of them became investors and entrepreneurs.
The high rate of immigration led to the emergence of anti-Chinese sentiments among the natives who complained of intense competition for jobs. This led to the enactment of a law that limited the immigration of Chinese workers to the U.S. Reasons for limiting immigration included economic, cultural, and ethnic misunderstandings between China and the U.S. Chinese immigrants choose America because of its quality education, advanced economy, and political stability (Behnke, 2005).
Better education
Many Americans have criticized their education system citing low standards. However, Chinese immigrants hold a different opinion because they consider the American education system as one of the best in the world. According to a study by Pearson and the Economist Intelligence Unit, students in the U.S. perform poorly with regard to test scores, literacy levels, and rates of graduation when compared to students in other countries such as Singapore and South Korea (Carlson, 2012).
Even though students from Shanghai emerged top in 2011, parents are still skeptical of the quality of Chinese education. They argue that the education mostly focuses on communist ideas and history (Behnke, 2005). Moreover, the exam for college admission is so competitive that students do bizarre things to pass. On the other hand, it is very difficult to get admission into Chinese universities than it is to get admission into American universities. China has very few universities that are internationally recognized.
In contrast, America has many certified international universities and colleges (Behnke, 2005). This implies that it offers quality that meets the needs of international labor markets. Deficiencies in the Chinese education system are reasons for the high rate of immigration to the United States.
Developed economy and an open-minded society
Another reason why immigrants choose the U.S. is its strong economy that has numerous opportunities for investors and entrepreneurs. A Gallup report revealed that among the 1.06 million immigrants granted entry into the U.S. in 2012, 87,000 were Chinese (Carlson, 2012). The report also revealed that the investments of Chinese immigrants experienced a growth of about 73% over a period of half a decade.
Immigrants love America because of the numerous business opportunities available, and the ease of starting a business (Mingzhe, 2011). Findings by the Hurun Report revealed that the rate of immigration by educated and wealthy Chinese is very high. The American government welcomes wealthy immigrants because they invest their wealth in the country and thus grow their economy (Mingzhe, 2011). On the other hand, educated immigrants bring talents and skills that are very useful to the economy.
Most Chinese immigrants are wealthy and educated. Therefore, their investment capabilities and skills afford them an easy entry into the United States (Carlson, 2012). The U.S. treats educated immigrants appropriately because of their immense skills and knowledge that are very beneficial towards the growth of their economy and improvement of their labor market.
Political stability
Finally, Chinese immigrants choose the United States due to its stable political environment. High political risks in China have resulted in high rates of unemployment and underemployment among young graduates (Picerno, 2011). Efforts by the Chinese government to improve the education system have been successful to a certain degree. However, the number of jobs has remained low.
Factors that contribute to China’s political instability include human rights violations, lack of judicial independence, poor governance, lack of political freedom, and violations of labor rights (Picerno, 2011). These factors motivate graduates to migrate to the U.S. in search of employment opportunities and a stable environment to start businesses.
Moreover, these aspects of political instability are uncommon in America. Chinese investors are more confident when investing in America because of its political stability. Political stability is one of the most important aspects of attracting investors and highly skilled workers into a country. Chinese immigrants choose America because of its political stability that gives the promise of stable economic growth and development.
Conclusion
Chinese immigration to the United States dates back to the 1850s. Immigrants went to the U.S. as gold miners, factory workers, and agricultural laborers. However, today, they immigrate to America as students, investors, and skilled workers. They choose America because of its stable political environment, developed economy, and quality education. A strong economy has many business opportunities and jobs.
On the other hand, a stable political environment guarantees stable growth of investments. The main reason why Chinese immigrants choose America is its quality education system. Unlike China, America has many colleges and universities that are recognized internationally. Education from American institutions offers students an opportunity to access job opportunities in many countries around the world.
References
Behnke, A. (2005). Chinese in America. New York: Lerner Publications.
Carlson, B. (2012). Why Chinese Immigrants Choose America. Web.
Mingzhe, Y. (2011). More Rich Chinese Choose Investment Immigration. Web.
Picerno, J. (2011). China’s Political Stability. Web.