The June 2000 Dover tragedy, in which 58 Chinese nationals died while being smuggled into the United Kingdom, alerted the general public, as well as policy makers, to issues relating to Chinese migration into Europe. However, the fact that over one million Chinese nationals already live in Europe, and that Chinese migration benefits both Europe and China, have received less attention in the media and in ongoing policy debate. What is lacking is a balanced understanding of the dynamics of Chinese migration to Europe.

This report presents recent findings of the principal trends in Chinese migration to Europe, with detailed discussions on the particular characteristics of Fujianese flows. It also demonstrates that migrants from the central and western parts of the Fujian province represent changing migration patterns, in which Chinese from various areas and backgrounds are creating new emigration trends with diversified destinations. In fact, these new migrants are frequently receiving professional assistance in the migration process.

This report identifies the principal gaps in the knowledge of Chinese migration to Europe and suggests future areas of research. It also considers relevant policy implications of these recent research findings.