Today, when the world pattern has undergone drastic changes, the United States is still a place that many Chinese yearn for. As a superpower, the United States' economic development, technological prowess, and cultural charm continue to attract the attention of immigrants. For many Chinese, immigrating to the United States is undoubtedly the best choice to realize the "American dream".
According to statistics, the total number of Chinese immigrants overseas reached 8.58 million in 2020. Of those, nearly one-third chose to immigrate to the United States, with the number being 2.433 million. It can be seen that the United States is still the preferred destination for Chinese immigrants.
The emergence of this phenomenon can be traced back to the 50s of the 19th century. During the Gold Rush, many immigrants from Guangdong, China, traveled to the West Coast of the United States, eager to make a fortune in this "gold mountain". With the spirit of hardship and hard work, they participated in various infrastructure projects and made important contributions to the development of the United States.
But the good times did not last long, and with the rise of racist thoughts, these hard-working "Chinese laborers" were instead ostracized and discriminated against by local whites. In 1882, the U.S. government promulgated the "Chinese Exclusion Act", which explicitly banned Chinese immigrants from entering the country. It was not until 1943, driven by China's allied status, that this discriminatory law was repealed.
It is in such a complex historical process that Chinese who immigrated to the United States gradually formed a large group. Especially since the seventies and eighties of the last century, with the normalization of Sino-US relations and the advancement of reform and opening up, a large number of Chinese students went to the United States to study, and finally chose to stay and settle there.
By 2022, the size of the Chinese population in the United States has reached 5.79 million. Among them, there are both "native-born" Chinese Americans who were directly born in the United States, and Chinese immigrants who have changed their nationality after naturalization. In a way, they have all become an integral part of American society.
However, the deteriorating relationship between the United States and China has brought new challenges to the Chinese-American community. In particular, the Asian American Segmentation Act signed by the Biden administration in 2023 further refines the Asian American group, which makes many Chinese immigrants deeply uneasy.
Because the implementation of this law means that certain ethnic groups such as Chinese Americans will be subject to more detailed supervision and scrutiny. They may face more unequal treatment in many areas such as the economy, education, employment, etc. This has undoubtedly exacerbated the anxiety of Chinese Americans in the United States.
In addition, in November 2023, the United States also arrested Changpeng Zhao, the richest man in China, on multiple charges and imposed a huge fine. This move has undoubtedly aroused a high degree of vigilance among Chinese in the United States, who fear that they may also become the target of US government repression.
In this complex situation, many Chinese immigrants in the United States began to reflect on their own situation, and then came up with the idea of returning to China. After all, in the "land of the free" of the United States, they do not seem to really fit in, but are often discriminated against and treated unequally. In contrast, China, the motherland, has gradually opened its warm arms to them, driven by its economic take-off and scientific and technological innovation.
At the same time, there is some negative sentiment in the country. Many people are chilled by the fact that a large number of Chinese choose to immigrate to the United States. They believe that these high-end talents who once received investment and training from the state are now working for the United States, which is undoubtedly a betrayal of the motherland.
Especially against the backdrop of increasingly intensified contradictions between the United States and China, even if these Chinese or Chinese in the United States have changed their nationality, they cannot escape the accusation of "traitors" in the eyes of the Chinese people. Some have even questioned whether they have completely abandoned their Chinese identity.
Faced with such a situation, the Chinese immigrant community in the United States is undoubtedly in a dilemma. On the one hand, they have become accustomed to the way of life of the United States, a "free country", and it is difficult to give up easily; But on the other hand, the development of China, the motherland, has given them new opportunities to choose.
For first-generation immigrants, most still have a deep affection for their Chinese roots. Even if they change their nationality, deep down they still identify as Chinese. It's just that they are subject to various practical factors, and when they chose to immigrate to the United States, they did not choose to oppose their motherland.
But at the same time, as relations between China and the United States deteriorated, their living conditions in the United States became increasingly difficult. Not only is it facing oppression from the government, but it has also encountered unprecedented difficulties in employment and children's education. This undoubtedly made them re-realize their situation and began to have more worries about the future.
For second- or third-generation Chinese, the situation is even more complicated. Many people have fully integrated into mainstream American society, and they do not identify themselves as "Chinese" in their hearts. They prefer to identify with their American nationality and stay away from controversial Chinese ancestry.
As a result, when Sino-American relations deteriorated, this group of ethnic Chinese also faced identity problems. On the one hand, they are unwilling to bear the shock that the Chinese face; On the other hand, they cannot completely abandon their Chinese roots. This embarrassing situation made them feel even more dazed and helpless.
But even so, driven by changes in China, there are some Chinese Americans who choose to "return home". They believe that the rapid development of their homeland has provided them with more opportunities, and the pain of discrimination in the United States has prompted them to rethink their way out of life.
At the same time, in order to attract this batch of high-end talents to return, China has also introduced a series of preferential policies. From household subsidies to children's education to career development, China has paved a broad road to the motherland for them. This has undoubtedly rekindled the yearning for the "Chinese dream" among many Chinese immigrants and their descendants in the United States.