Chinese people in Chile

It is estimated that there are over 20,000 Chinese people in Chile.[3] Chinese immigrants come from both China and Taiwan.

Chinese people in Chile
Chinos en Chile
Total population
13,528—17,021 by census 2017[1]
20,000 with descendants[2]
Regions with significant populations
Northern Chile, Santiago, Chile
Languages
Chilean Spanish, Chinese
Related ethnic groups
Overseas Chinese

Reasons for Immigration

A high demand for manpower in the Southern South American region was present around the 1950s–1960s because of capitalism in the region. This demand for manpower also drew in a huge amount of Chinese people coming to South America for work, which explains the huge increase of Chinese people 1950s–1960s.[4] This immigration was also present in the War of the Pacific with Chinese immigrating to both Peru and Chile to enlist into the war effort. After the war came to a close with a Chilean victor, people from Peru also settled in Chile. This was supportive due to the damages of the war done and they could work for construction of the infrastructure or just working inside factories.[5]

Migration history

Between 1,200 and 1,500 Chinese workers in Peru offered support to the Chilean side in the War of the Pacific (1879–1883) and thus went to Chile at the war's end.[6]

Today the Chinese people living in Chile work primarily in trade and restaurant jobs. Although in Santiago one can find many local Chinese businesses, including importers, supermarkets, mini markets, malls (shopping centers such as Santiago Centro and Estación Central), Chinatowns are not concentrated in one place, except in the neighborhood of Patronato, where most of the Asian (i.e. Filipino, Indian, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Malaysian, Nepali, Pakistani, Thai and Vietnamese) immigrants, niche businesses and supermarkets in Santiago are located.

Notable people
  • Quintin Quintana, leader of the Coolies
  • Rung Fang Cheng, dancer and participant Rojo
  • Jorge Chiong, works director of the commune of Lampa
  • Óscar Lee Chong, former footballer
  • Jaime Carreño Lee Chong, footballer[7]
  • Ximena Chong, fiscal
  • Diego Lin Chou, writer
  • Guillermo Chong, geologist
  • Viviana Shieh, singer
  • Yuc Ramón Kong, medical

See also

References
  1. "Extranjeros en Chile superan el millón 110 mil y el 72% se concentra en dos regiones: Antofagasta y Metropolitana". El Mercurio. 9 April 2018. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  2. Álvaro Peralta Sáinz (15 June 2018). "Resistiré: El lema de la comida china". La Tercera.
  3. "'Made In China': Inmigrantes chinos en Chile". Televisión Nacional de Chile. 26 March 2014. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  4. "The Chinese Community in South America". Programa Asia Pacifico. BCN.CL. 11 November 2008. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
  5. "Chile - War of the Pacific, 1879-83". countrystudies.us. Country Studies. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  6. Chou 2004, Ch. 3
  7. "Clásico 'cruzado': Católica venció a la 'U' y quedó como solitario líder". prensafutbol.com. 23 April 2016. Retrieved 23 April 2016.

Sources
  • Chou, Diego Lin (2004), Chile y China: inmigración y relaciones bilaterales (1845-1970) (in Spanish), Santiago de Chile: Instituto de Historia/Centro de Investigaciones Diego Barros Arana, ISBN 956-244-165-2
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