6 Places With Strong Chinese Communities Outside Mainland China
About 50 million ethnic Chinese are living outside of the mainland China. Most overseas Chinese are dwelling in Southeast Asia, majority of the population residing in Singapore and a notable minority populations in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, USA and Europe.
These heavily populated Chinese communities outside of China, are often referred to as “Chinatowns” and are a good way of confirming the size of the Chinese consumer base worldwide. In each area, overseas Chinese have preserved their languages, individuality and culture, while mingling with the local population. Overseas Chinese rule almost all the economies of Southeast Asia, and have sometimes played an important role in Chinese politics. Lump-sum amount of funds for the Chinese revolution of 1911 came from overseas Chinese. People’s Republic of China and the Republic of China both sustain cabinet level ministries to deal with overseas Chinese matters, and have some legislative representation for overseas Chinese. Below are 6 of the places outside mainland China with strong Chinese communities.
1. Chinatown of San Francisco
While there are numerous Chinatowns across the United States and around the world, San Francisco’s Chinese community is the oldest, largest, and most distinct urban Chinese American community. As more and more Chinese immigrants moved to northern California hoping for fortune and work, San Francisco Chinatown served as their home outside home, a cozy familiar place in an alien and often antagonistic land. Chinese San Francisco, during the late 19th century was limited within a dozen or so square blocks. A self-sustained and harbored community, with its own exclusive government and politics, early Chinatown was more of a separate city within San Francisco.
2. Chinatown of Singapore
It is the home of the fifth largest community of Overseas Chinese. Chinatown, Singapore is a sub-area and ethnic community located amid the Outram district in the Central area of Singapore. Presenting distinctly Chinese cultural aspects, Chinatown has had a chronically massed ethnic Chinese population. As the largest indigenous group in Singapore is Chinese, Chinatown is rather less of a territory than it once was. However, the community does retain its symbolic historical and cultural significance. Large sections of it however, have been deemed national heritage spots officially specified for safekeeping by the Urban Redevelopment Authority.
3. Chinatown of Liverpool
Liverpool has a vast multicultural population, of which Chinese are a high percentage. The Chinatown here was the first to be grounded in Europe and is easily identified by the beautifully designed Chinese Arch that beautifies the entry. The arch was entirely imported from Shanghai, a city of China, with which Liverpool is twinned. Encircling the Liverpool’s Chinatown area, you’ll find a luscious selection of Chinese and pan-Asian restaurants as well as Chinese supermarkets. Traverse the Berry Street for a distinct fusion of cuisines and Bold Street, beyond that. Every year in February thousands of travelers from all over the globe go to Liverpool’s Chinatown to celebrate the Chinese New Year in Chinese style.
4. Chinatown of Bangkok
Bangkok’s Chinatown, Thailand’s biggest Chinese community, is generally known among Thai’s as Yaowarat, the name after the road where it is located. The Chinese community monopolized the trades between Siam (ancient Thailand) and China, since the times of King Rama I, centered around Ratchawong Pier, while the construction of Yaowarat Road begun only until 1891 during the monarchy of King Rama V.
Today, Yaowarat is chiefly known as the kingdom’s largest center of gold trade and a great foodie destination.
5. Chinatowns of Sydney
Sydney’s Chinatown is a metropolitan locality in the southern part of the Sydney central business district and is said to be Australia’s largest Chinatown. There are about 350,000 ethnic Chinese in Sydney, comprising 7.9% of the total of city’s population. Melbourne’s Chinatown is the oldest Chinatown in Australia though. It also believed to be the oldest, continuous Chinese establishment in Australia, and the longest continuously running Chinatown outside of Asia. According to a survey, there are around 260,000 ethnic Chinese in Melbourne city, comprising 6.5% of the total of city’s population.
6. Chinatown of Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia is the known to be the second biggest overseas Chinese community. Within Malaysia, Chinese people are mostly simply referred to as “Chinese” and exhibits the second largest ethnic group in Malaysia after the ethnic Malay majority, the dwellers of Malaysia.
Petaling Street, the Chinatown is located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Bargaining is a common sight here and the place is usually jam-packed with locals as well as tourists. Malaysian Chinese, socially and economically are well-developed bourgeois ethnic body and consistently rules the business and trade sectors of the Malaysian community.
