British Chinese
KT Tunstall, Gok Wan, Vanessa-Mae
Total population
2001 Census for United Kingdom[1] 247,403 Estimates for England only[2] 255,300 (2002) 285,800 (2003) 315,000 (2004) 347,000 (2005)
Regions with significant populations
London, Sheffield, Manchester, Birmingham, Brighton, Liverpool, Glasgow
Languages
British English, Chinese (regional dialects including Cantonese, Hakka and others; Mandarin)
Religions
Non-religious, Buddhism, Christianity, others
Related ethnic groups
Mainland Chinese, Overseas Chinese

British Chinese
Traditional Chinese:	英國華僑
Simplified Chinese:	英国华侨
Alternate name
Traditional Chinese:	英國華裔
Simplified Chinese:	英国华裔

British Chinese, including British-born Chinese (often informally referred to as BBC), are people of Chinese ancestry who were born in or have migrated to the United Kingdom. Kate Victoria "KT" Tunstall (born 23 June 1975 is a Scottish Singer-songwriter. Gok Wan (born Ko-Hen Wan meaning "Noisy Big City" in Cantonese on 9 October 1974, Leicester, UK) is a British Fashion Vanessa-Mae Vanakorn Nicholson (born October 27 1978) known professionally as Vanessa-Mae (in Chinese: 陳美 Chén Měi is an internationally London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Sheffield ( is a city and Metropolitan borough in South Yorkshire, England Birmingham ( ˈbɜːmɪŋəm Ber -ming-um Brighton ( is a town on the south coast of England and with its neighbour Hove, forms the city of Brighton and Hove. Liverpool ( is a City and Metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary Glasgow (ˈglæzgoʊ is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom British English or UK English ( BrE, BE, en-GB) is the broad term used to distinguish the forms of the English language used in the Standard Cantonese is the standard variant of the Cantonese (Yuet language Standard Mandarin, also known as Standard Spoken Chinese, is the official modern Chinese spoken language used in mainland China and Taiwan Irreligion is a lack of religion indifference to religion or hostility to religion Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Han Chinese ( are an Ethnic group native to China and by most modern definitions the largest single Ethnic group in the world. Han Chinese ( are an Ethnic group native to China and by most modern definitions the largest single Ethnic group in the world. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located They are part of the Chinese diaspora, or overseas Chinese. The British Chinese community is thought to be the oldest Chinese community in Western Europe, if not the oldest in Europe, with the first Chinese coming from the ports of Tianjin and Shanghai in the early 19th century. Western Europe at its most general meaning means 'all the countries in the West of Europe ' ( Postal map spelling: Tientsin) is the second largest city in northern coastal China. Shanghai ( 上[[wikt 海|海]] is the largest city in China in terms of population and one of the largest urban areas in the world with over 20 million The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar

Today, many Chinese families and communities have been in Britain for several generations. These communities have an active ethnic life with many activities and support networks for members, but have also integrated into the British community at large. Compared to most ethnic minorities in the UK, the Chinese tend to be more widespread and decentralised, with a record of high academic achievement, and have one of the highest inter-ethnic marriage rates in the country. Since the largest wave of immigration since the 1950 to 1960s, the Chinese community has made rapid socio-economic advancement in Britain over the course of one generation, although there still exists an occupational segregation of the Chinese in the labour market, where there exists a valuable source of qualified Chinese labour currently engaged in the ethnic niche, particularly the Chinese catering industry, which it has been suggested could be better utilized in the wider labour market. Socioeconomics or socio-economics is the study of the relationship between economic activity and Social life. Generation (from the Greek γενεά) also known as procreation, is the act of producing Offspring. Labour economics seeks to understand the functioning of the Market and dynamics for labour. Chinese cuisine ( Traditional Chinese: 中國菜 Simplified Chinese: 中国菜 originated from the various regions of China and has become widespread in Catering is the Business of providing Foodservice at a remote site ^[3] Immigrants have typically worked in the catering, hotel and laundry industries. Catering is the Business of providing Foodservice at a remote site A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging usually on a short-term basis Laundry can be items of Clothing and other Textiles that require Washing the act of washing clothing and textiles

Most of the British Chinese are people or are descended from people who were themselves overseas Chinese when they came to the United Kingdom. The majority are from former British colonies, such as Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and also other countries such as Vietnam. The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power. Hong Kong ( officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a territory located on China 's south coast on the Pearl River Delta, and borders For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and Singapore Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island Vietnam (ˌviːɛtˈnɑːm Việt Nam) officially People from mainland China and Taiwan and their descendants constitute a relatively minor proportion of the British Chinese community. Mainland China, Continental China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term synonymous with the area that is under the jurisdiction Taiwan ( Taiwanese: Tâi-oân/Tāi-oân (historically 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣 is an Island in East Asia. There are Chinese communities in many major cities including London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Sheffield, Belfast and Aberdeen. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Birmingham ( ˈbɜːmɪŋəm Ber -ming-um Liverpool ( is a City and Metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary Newcastle upon Tyne ( (often shortened to Newcastle) is a city and Metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, England Sheffield ( is a city and Metropolitan borough in South Yorkshire, England Belfast ( is the capital city of Northern Ireland and the seat of government in Northern Ireland. Aberdeen ( pronounced; Aiberdeen Obar Dheathain is Scotland 's third most populous city and one of Scotland's 32 local government council The Chinese community is the fastest growing non-European ethnic group in the UK, with 11. 2% annual growth adding approximately 120,000 to the 2001 estimate of 230,000 by 2005. More than 90% of this growth was contributed by net migration. Net migration rate is the difference of Immigrants and Emigrants of an area in a period of time divided (usually per 1000 inhabitants (considered on midterm population ^[4] The majority of Chinese immigrants have not traditionally integrated into mainstream society, because they do not plan on staying in London and due to linguistic barriers. However, as the population has expanded, descendants of the original immigrants have begun to bridge the gap between Chinese and British culture.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Post-World War II 1.2 Communities 1.2.1 Liverpool 1.2.2 Sheffield 1.2.3 London 2 Chinese New Year 3 Chinatowns 4 Community events 4.1 London 4.1.1 Major issues 5 Arts 6 CNHLC Project 7 Demographics 7.1 Population 7.2 Geographic distribution 7.2.1 Largest urban Chinese communities 7.3 Education and employment 7.4 Health and welfare 7.5 Inter-ethnic marriage 7.6 Voter registration 7.7 People 8 Society and business 9 See also 10 References 10.1 Footnotes 10.2 Further reading 10.2.1 Books 10.2.2 Papers 10.3 Articles 11 Media coverage 12 External links

History

The first recorded Chinese person in Britain was a Jesuit scholar called Shen Fu Tsong who was present in the court of King James II in the 17th century. The Society of Jesus ( Latin: Societas Iesu, SJ and SI or SJ, SI) is a Catholic religious order Michael Alphonsius Shen Fu-Tsung, also Michel Sin, Michel Chin-fo-tsoung, Shen Fo-tsung, Shen Fuzong (沈福宗 died 1691 was a James II of England and Ireland James VII of Scotland (14 October 1633 &ndash 16 September 1701 was King of England, King of Scots, Later that same year James Shen was the first person to catalogue the Chinese collection in the Bodleian Library. The Bodleian Library ( the main Research library of the University of Oxford, is one of the oldest libraries in Europe, and in England The King was so taken with him he had his portrait painted and hung in his bed chamber. The portrait of Shen hangs in the Queen's collection. ^[5][6]

In the 1750s to 1800s, the British aristocracy developed a passion for Chinoiserie, which affected not only furniture and ornaments; upper-class gentlemen also enjoyed dressing up in dragon and mandarin robes on festive occasions and ladies endeavoured to procure Chinese boys as pages or pets. Aristocracy is a form of Government, where rule is established through an internal struggle over who has the most status and influence over society and internal relations Chinoiserie, a French term signifying "Chinese-esque" refers to a recurring theme in European artistic styles since the seventeenth century which reflecting ^[7]

The first settlement of Chinese people in the United Kingdom dates from the early 19th century. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar Settlements, in particular, were port cities of Liverpool and London - this was because many of the Chinese settlers were originally seamen and so naturally gravitated to the port areas; particularly the Limehouse area in East London, where the first Chinatown was established in Britain and Europe. ||-||-|-||-||-||-||-||-||-|} A port is a facility for receiving Ships and transferring cargo Liverpool ( is a City and Metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Seaman as a rate refers to one of the lowest rates in a Navy. Limehouse is a place in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is on the northern bank of the River Thames opposite Rotherhithe and between Ratcliff East London is the name commonly given to the north eastern part of London, England on the north side of the River Thames. A Chinatown is a section of an urban area with a large number of Chinese outside the majority-Chinese countries of Greater China. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located

The East India Company, which was importing popular Chinese commodities such as tea, ceramics and silks and bringing Asian sailors too, needed trustworthy intermediaries to arrange the sailors' care and lodgings while they were in London. ^[8]

A Chinese seaman known to historians only as John Anthony took on this lucrative role looking after Chinese sailors for the East India Shipping Company in the late 18th, early 19th century. By 1805, Anthony had amassed both the fortune and the influence to become the first Chinese man to be naturalised as a British citizen – something which was so rare it actually required an Act of Parliament. An Act of Parliament is a Law enacted as Primary legislation by a national or sub-national Parliament. ^[9]

British shipping companies first started employing Chinese sailors during the Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815) to replace the British sailors who had been called up to the navy. The Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815 involved Napoleon's French Empire and a shifting set of European allies and opposing coalitions They soon discovered that they were cheaper, did not get drunk and were easier to command. Conditions aboard ship appalled Lee Cheong when he visited his father's quarters: "The smell . . . I remember the smell and the incredibly cramped conditions. I remember going down below, rows and rows of bunks, knapsacks and all sorts of junk stuffed in every nook and cranny . . . lots and lots of people milling around. I couldn’t think of anything worse than those sorts of conditions. "

With the advent of steam in the 1860s, the recruitment of Chinese seamen increased on the trading routes from the Far East. The Far East is a term often used by people in the Western world to refer to the countries of East Asia.

In 1865, the first direct steamship service from Europe to China was established in Liverpool by Alfred and Philip Holt's Blue Funnel Line, using cheap Chinese crews. A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving a Propeller Liverpool ( is a City and Metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary Alfred Holt and Company, better known as the Blue Funnel Line, was founded by Alfred Holt on the 16 January 1866

The first Chinese student to graduate from a British university was a young man called Wong Fun who received his MD in 1855 from Edinburgh. Doctor of Medicine ( MD or MD, from the Latin Medicinæ Doctor meaning "Teacher of Medicine" is a doctoral The University of Edinburgh (Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann founded in 1582 is a renowned centre for teaching and research in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK. He marked the beginning of a steady flow of students from China, encouraged by educational reformer Zhang Zhidong who believed Western learning was needed to reverse China's fortunes and help it to catch up with the rest of the world. Zhang Zhidong ( Chinese:張之洞 Pinyin: Zhāng Zhīdòng Wade-Giles: Chang Chih-tung Courtesy Xiàodá (孝達 Pseudonyms Many Chinese graduates did indeed return to make a significant contribution to their country, but some stayed. ^[10]

In 1877, Kuo Sung-tao, the first Chinese minister to Britain, opened its legation in London, and in 1882, Wu Tin Fang became the first Chinese student to be admitted to the bar in London. A legation was the term used in Diplomacy to denote a diplomatic representative office lower than an Embassy. A bar association is a Professional body of Lawyers Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their Jurisdiction In the mid-1880s Chinatowns started to grow up in London and Liverpool with grocery stores, eating houses, meeting places and, in the East End, Chinese street names. In 1891, the Census recorded 582 Chinese-born residents in Britain, though this dropped to 387 Chinese-born residents in 1896. 80% were single males between 20 and 35, the majority being seamen. Seaman as a rate refers to one of the lowest rates in a Navy.

By 1890 there were two distinct, if small, Chinese communities living in East London. The Chinese from Shanghai were settled around Pennyfields, Amoy Place and Ming Street (in Poplar) and those from Canton and Southern China lived around Gill Street and Limehouse Causeway. Shanghai ( 上[[wikt 海|海]] is the largest city in China in terms of population and one of the largest urban areas in the world with over 20 million Poplar is an area of the East End of London in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. Guangzhou ( Jyutping: Gwong²zau¹; Yale: Gwóngjàu) is the Capital and a Sub-provincial city Alternative meaning In Geology, North China (continent and South China (continent were two ancient landmasses that correspond to modern northern Limehouse is a place in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is on the northern bank of the River Thames opposite Rotherhithe and between Ratcliff There was much prejudice against the East End Chinese community largely due to exaggerated reports of gambling and opium dens. An opium den was an establishment where Opium was sold and smoked This may have been true of some, but for the majority of Chinese people, life consisted of hard work in the London Docklands, struggling to save for a passage for the return voyage to the Far East. Docklands is the semi-official name for an area in the east of London, England, comprising parts of several boroughs ( Southwark, Tower Hamlets The Far East is a term often used by people in the Western world to refer to the countries of East Asia. ^[11] Like much of the East End it remained a focus for immigration, but after the devastation of the Second World War many of the Chinese community relocated to Soho. Immigration refers to the movement of people among countries While the movement of people has existed throughout human history at various levels modern immigration implies long-term World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The name Chinatown has been used at different times to describe different places in London. ^[12][13]

From the 1890s the Chinese community in the East End grew in size and spread eastwards, from the original settlement in Limehouse Causeway, into Pennyfields. The area provided for the Lascar, Chinese and Japanese sailors working the Oriental routes into the Port of London. Lascar, though rarely used now was once the name used to describe a Sailor from India or other countries East of the Cape of Good Hope, employed on The Orient is a term which simply means the " East " It originated in Western Asia to describe that part of the world The Port of London lies along the banks of the River Thames from London, England to the North Sea. The main attractions for these men were the opium dens, hidden behind shops in Limehouse and Poplar, and also the availability of prostitutes, Chinese grocers, restaurants and seamen's lodging-houses. Limehouse is a place in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is on the northern bank of the River Thames opposite Rotherhithe and between Ratcliff Populus is a genus of between 25–35 species of Flowering plants in the family Salicaceae, native to most of the Northern Hemisphere. Hostility from British sailors and the inability of many Chinese to speak English fostered a distinct racial segregation and concentrated more and more Chinese into Pennyfields. Gradually the drab shops of Pennyfields were transformed into Chinese emporia and their colourful interiors became an exotic contrast to the grey streets of Poplar. Quote: "The Chinese shops are the quaintest places imaginable. Their walls decorated with red and orange papers, covered with Chinese writing indicating the "chop" or style of the firm, or some such announcement. There is also sure to be a map of China and a hanging Chinese Almanac. Tung shing is a Fortune telling Almanac Book published in Guangzhou, China and Hong Kong. "^[14]

The heady smells of burning opium, joss-sticks and tobacco smoked through the hubble-bubble, produced an atmosphere much sought after by the literary and artistic coterie of fin-de-siècle London. A clique ( IPA:/'klɪk/ in America /'kliːk/ elsewhere is an exclusive group of people who share interests views purposes patterns of behavior or ethnicity Fin de siècle (fɑ̃ dɛ si'ɛːkl French for ‛end of the century‘ was a cultural movement between 1880 and the beginning of World War I. Pennyfields became a 'sight' for West End society. From the 1890s until the 1920s, parties regularly went east at night, expecting to find the unusual and morally degenerate in Pennyfields. Instead they found a commonplace street. The Pennyfields of legend was always more exciting than that of reality. But it was different from the rest of Poplar: 'In the darkness of Pennyfields dark faced men are passing. Over the restaurants and shops are Chinese names. '^[15]

In 1901, the first Chinese laundry opened in Poplar, and it was immediately stoned by a hostile xenophobic crowd. Laundry can be items of Clothing and other Textiles that require Washing the act of washing clothing and textiles Populus is a genus of between 25–35 species of Flowering plants in the family Salicaceae, native to most of the Northern Hemisphere. The Trades Union Congress (TUC), concerned about the importation of Chinese labour into the South African gold mines, suggested that the mine-owners and the Conservative government were "preventing South Africa becoming a white man's country". The Trades Union Congress (TUC is a national trade union centre, a federation of Trade unions in the United Kingdom, representing the majority of trade Mining in South Africa has been the main driving force behind the history and development of Africa's most advanced and richest economy The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa Also during that time, the first report on the Chinese in Britain was produced by Liverpool City Council amidst concern over Chinese marrying English wives, gambling and opium taking. See City of Liverpool for other meanings Liverpool City Council is the governing body for the city of Liverpool in Merseyside Liverpool's Chief Constable, however, expressed the view that the resident Chinese were 'quiet, inoffensive and industrious people'. Merseyside Police is the Home Office Police force responsible for policing Merseyside in North West England. Chief Constable is the title given to the Chief police officer of every territorial police force in the United Kingdom except the two responsible for Greater

In 1907, the first opening of a Chinese restaurant in London was recorded. By 1918 the number of Chinese living in Pennyfields, Poplar totalled 182; all were men, nine of them had English wives. ^[16] At its maximum size during the 1930s, Chinatown (which included Limehouse Causeway) consisted of 5,000 persons, many of whom were sailors. A few Chinese remained in Pennyfields until the demolition of the street after 1960. ^[17] As early as the 1920s, many of the houses occupied by the Chinese were described as 'very old and in many cases extremely dilapidated externally'. Internally most were clean, uncrowded, vermin-free and less susceptible to infectious disease than their English neighbours. ^[18]

In 1908, many crowds of angry British seamen, opposed to the cheap Chinese crews, prevented Chinese seamen from signing on ships; and the Chinese had to return to their boarding houses under police escort to avoid molestation. In response to the general increase in hostility, from around 1900-1910, Chinese Mutual aid (or Benevolent) associations were being set up in London and Liverpool. A benefit society or mutual aid society is an Organization or Voluntary association formed to provide Mutual aid, benefit or Insurance In contrast to the semi-mythical Chinese (Masonic) secret societies, these associations looked after the interests of their members, arranged burials and assisted in cases of exploitation. Hui (會 is a Chinese word generally meaning 'conference' but which is sometimes used to refer to a Secret society. (See also Tiandihui, Triad society and Triads in the United Kingdom. The Tiandihui ( Yale Cantonese: tin1 dei6 wui2 Vietnamese: Thiên Địa Hội literally "Heaven and Earth Society" is a Fraternal Triad ( also known as) is a term that describes many branches of Chinese underground society and/or organizations based in Hong Kong and Macau and also Triads in United Kingdom first appeared during the post-World War era with the 14k Triad emerging in Chinese communities in London, Birmingham, Liverpool )

In 1911, the Census recorded 1,319 Chinese-born residents in Britain and 4,595 seamen of Chinese origin serving in the British Merchant Navy. The British Merchant Navy, known simply as the Merchant Navy is the maritime register of the United Kingdom, and describes the seagoing commercial interests Also during this time China was going through domestic and international turmoil as the Republic of China was established with the overthrow of the Manchu Qing dynasty. REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES The Manchu people ( Manchu: Manju;, Mongolian: Манж Russian: Маньчжуры are a Tungusic people who originated in Not to be confused with Qin Dynasty, the first dynasty of Imperial China

As more Chinese seamen began to settle in the ports of London and Liverpool, a powerful set of myths began to develop about "Chinatown". The 1913 publication of the first Sax Rohmer novels about the evil genius Dr Fu Manchu kick-started a near-hysterical interest in London's Limehouse, turning it from a few drab streets of shops and restaurants to the most infamous patch of land in Britain - which supposedly harboured cunning "Chinamen" who lured white women into their opium dens. Arthur Henry Sarsfield Ward ( 15 February 1883 - 1 June 1959) better known as Sax Rohmer, was a prolific English Novelist Dr Fu Manchu is a Fictional character first featured in a series of novels by English author Sax Rohmer during the first half of the 20th century Limehouse is a place in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is on the northern bank of the River Thames opposite Rotherhithe and between Ratcliff This exotic netherworld was featured in countless novels, films and songs and put the stereotype of the Chinese as inscrutable criminals firmly at the heart of western popular culture. ^[19]

During the Cardiff riots of 1911, every one of the city's 30 Chinese laundries was attacked.

In 1916, the British Government abandoned plans to introduce several hundred thousand Chinese labourers into Britain as trade union leaders protested that such a project would have had 'calamitous effects on the standard of life'. Her Majesty's Government, or when the monarch is male His Majesty's Government, is the title used by the Government of the United Kingdom, based at A trade union or labour union is an organization of workers who have banded together to achieve common goals in key areas such as wages hours and working conditions forming The standard of living refers to the quality and quantity of goods and services available to people and the way these goods and services are distributed within a population

In 1917, 1,083 Chinese left Shandong on a British ship bound for Le Havre, as the first group of a total of nearly 100,000 recruited to unload munitions and supplies in France for the Allied effort in World War I (see the article on the Chinese in France for more details). ( is a coastal province of eastern People's Republic of China. Le Havre is a city in the northwest region of France situated on the right bank of the mouth of the Seine River as it outlets into the Bay of the Seine This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The Entente Powers (from Triple Entente) were the countries at war with the Central Powers during World War I. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Chinese French (Sino-Français are people of Chinese ancestry who were born in or immigrated to France.

In 1919, after World War I ended, the Aliens Restriction Act was extended to peacetime, bringing about a decline in the Chinese population in Britain. The Zhong Shan Mutual Aid Workers Club was established, offering a meeting place free from ridicule and humiliation by the English. It aimed to unite the overseas Chinese in Britain, to improve their working conditions and to look after their welfare. ^[20] Also in 1919, the Cheung clansmen founded a limited liability company controlling a group of successful restaurants - which was the first step in a new trend. Zhang ( is among the most common Chinese surnames In the 1990 edition of Guinness Book of Records, it was listed as the world's most common surname with over 100 A Chinese clan ( is a patrilineal and patrilocal group of related Chinese people with a common surname sharing a common ancestor and in many cases an A limited liability company (abbreviated LLC or LLC) in the law of the vast majority of the United States is a legal form of business Company The 1921 census figures put the Chinese-born resident population at 2,419, including 547 laundrymen, 455 seamen and 26 restaurant workers.

In the early 1920s, many of the Crescent Moon literary group spent time in British universities, for example poet Xu Zhimo (1896-1931) the romantic Chinese poet who stayed at Cambridge, and essayist Chen Xiying, who studied at the LSE. Brief Biography Xu was born in Haining Zhejiang. In 1915 he married Zhang Youyi and next year he went to Peiyang Univeristy ( Beiyang University

In 1925, the KMT sent a representative to London, who established a close relationship with the Zhong Shan Workers Club to gain their support. Also in 1925-1926 the Canton-Hong Kong strike occurred involving 250,000 people, including Chinese who were based in the UK, following the massacre of workers in Shanghai by the British. Shanghai ( 上[[wikt 海|海]] is the largest city in China in terms of population and one of the largest urban areas in the world with over 20 million Effects of the immigration regulations were felt in Liverpool's Chinatown as the local press reported in 1927 that 'the whole Chinese quarter has a dying atmosphere'.

The 1931 Census showed a drop to 1,934 Chinese residents. There were over 500 Chinese laundries established in Britain; and there were two to three Chinese restaurants open in Soho catering for the British clientele of the West End theatre crowds. This article is about an area of Manhattan, New York City. For the area in London UK see Soho. West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London 's "Theatreland" In 1935, the first Chinese school - the Zhonghua Middle School - was established in Middlefields, Ealing with thirty students. Ealing is a Town in the London Borough of Ealing. It is a Suburban development situated 7 In 1937 at the beginning of World War II, Japan attacked China, which led to the China Campaign Committee to be set up in Britain with the support of Chinese students, Chinese intellectuals such as Professor GH Wang, researching at the London School of Economics (LSE), and by the Chinese communities in London, Liverpool and Manchester. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The Second Sino-Japanese War ( July 7, 1937 to September 9, 1945) was a major war fought between the Republic of China and the The London School of Economics and Political Science, more commonly referred to as The London School of Economics or LSE, is a specialist college of the In 1938, two attempts to load a cargo of iron for Japanese munitions were defeated by dockers in Teesside and London and Chinese seamen who refused to sign on the Japanese ship, despite bribes. Teesside is the name given to the Conurbation in the North East of England made up of the towns of Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees Bribery, a form of pecuniary corruption is an act usually implying money or gift given that alters the behaviour of the recipient in ways not consistent with the duties of that person Also in that year, 'China Week' and 'China Sunday', supported by the Archbishop of York and other Church leaders as well as the Chinese communities in Britain, raised funds for the International Peace Hospital in Yenan. The Archbishop of York is a high-ranking cleric in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury. Yan'an ( is a city in the Shanbei region of Shaanxi province in China. ^[21]

In 1939, with the outbreak of the Second World War in Europe, the Chinese Merchant Seamen's Pool of approximately 20,000 was established with its headquarters in Liverpool. These men manned the oil-tankers on the dangerous Atlantic run. History The technology of oil transportation has evolved alongside the oil industry In 1940, there was protest against the closure of the Burma Road by the British Government, with the China Campaign Committee and Chinese students, including especially K. The Burma Road is a Road linking Burma (also called Myanmar with China. C. Lim and Kenneth Lo, being active in organising a petition of 1. 5 million signatures.

During both world wars, hundreds of thousands of Chinese seamen and workers were recruited and many hundreds were killed and injured aboard British ships, including those torpedoed by German submarines. A world war is a War affecting the majority of the world's most powerful and populous nations A Chinese seaman called Poon Lim set the world record of 133 days for survival on a wooden raft after his ship was sunk by a German U-boat in 1942. U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word, itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot ( undersea boat) and refers ^[22]

Despite such risks, Chinese seamen were treated far worse, with less pay and rights than their British counterparts. A London meeting of Chinese seamen launched a campaign, eventually successful, to win a wartime danger bonus for Chinese seamen equal to that granted to British seamen.

But after the Second World War was over, the Government and the shipping companies colluded to forcibly repatriate thousands of Chinese seamen; with the Blue Funnel Line sacking all of its Chinese crews. Alfred Holt and Company, better known as the Blue Funnel Line, was founded by Alfred Holt on the 16 January 1866 Many of those left behind wives and children they would never see again. More than 50 years later in 2006, a memorial plaque in remembrance for those Chinese seamen was erected on Liverpool's Pier Head. The Pier Head is a riverside location in the city centre of Liverpool, England. ^[23][24]

Post-World War II

The 1951 Census recorded a big increase in Britain's Chinese population, then standing at 12,523, of whom over 4,000 were from Malaysia, and including 3,459 single males from Hong Kong. For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and The influx of Chinese into Britain coincided with the increased pressure in Hong Kong due to the build-up of the huge numbers of refugees streaming in from the mainland following the end of the Chinese Civil War. At the time, nearly 100 Chinese restaurants were open, as former embassy staff and ex-seamen found a niche in this trade. Records showed remittances to Hong Kong of HK$ 2. Remittance can also refer to the Accounting concept of a monetary payment transferred by a customer to a business Remittances are transfers 5 million.

The largest wave of Chinese immigration took place during the 1950s and 1960s and consisted predominantly of male agricultural labourers from Hong Kong, particularly from the rural villages of the New Territories. Hong Kong ( officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a territory located on China 's south coast on the Pearl River Delta, and borders New Territories, abbreviated to NT or NT, is a region in Hong Kong excluding Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and Stonecutters Island This also included immigration, through Hong Kong, from the surrounding Guangdong province in mainland China. Guangdong ( EFEO: Kouangtong; Pinyin Guǎngdōng; Postal map spelling: Kwangtung) is a province on the Mainland China, Continental China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term synonymous with the area that is under the jurisdiction The majority of these Chinese men were employed in the then growing Chinese catering industry. Catering is the Business of providing Foodservice at a remote site Chinese-run laundry businesses were the other major source of employment for the Chinese, but it was a declining industry and Chinese-run laundries are today non-existent. Laundry can be items of Clothing and other Textiles that require Washing the act of washing clothing and textiles By 2004 for comparison, according to official figures, just under half of Chinese men and 40% of Chinese women in employment worked in the distribution, hotel and restaurant industry. ^[25]

In 1961, the Census recorded Britain's Chinese population at 38,750, with a fivefold increase in Hong Kong-born residents in London. The Association of Chinese Restaurateurs was formed to maintain the good reputation of the Chinese catering business and to organise recruitment from the New Territories. New Territories, abbreviated to NT or NT, is a region in Hong Kong excluding Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and Stonecutters Island

Since the Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1962, restrictions were placed on immigration from current and former British colonies, and these were tightened by successive governments. The Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1962 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Immigration refers to the movement of people among countries While the movement of people has existed throughout human history at various levels modern immigration implies long-term The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power. The Immigration act included a voucher system and significant Chinese migration to Britain did still continue by relatives of already settled Chinese and by those qualified for skilled jobs, until the end of the 1970s. Today, a significant proportion of British Chinese are second or third generation descendants of these post-World War II immigrants. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Approximately 30,000 workers from the New Territories were resident in Britain in 1962 and records showed remittances at HK$ 40 million. Ninety-six wives from Hong Kong joined their husbands in Britain in the beginning of that year, indicating a new phase from 'sojourning' to family reunion and a more settled life.

In 1963, Soho's Chinatown finally took over from the East End as the Zhongshan Workers' Club opened in the West End, showing films and running classes. The first Chinese New Year celebrations were held in Gerrard Street. Chinese New Year is the most important of the Traditional Chinese holidays. There are several Streets called Gerrard Street, including Gerrard Street in the Chinatown area of London, England The Overseas Chinese Service opened the first specialised agency to assist the Chinese in dealing with the host society by offering a translation and interpreting service.

In 1971, the Census recorded Britain's Chinese population at 96,030, more than doubling in ten years. By now, nearly every small town and suburb in the UK had its own Chinese restaurant. Out of the 4,000 Chinese owned businesses, about 1,400 were restaurants, indicating that as the market for restaurant trade reached saturation, the takeaway trade had already taken off.

In 1976, Britain's Chinese population included approximately 6,000 full-time students and 2,000 nurses. The Chinese Community Centre opened in Gerrard Street with Urban Aid funding to deal with the problems experienced by the Chinese community. There are several Streets called Gerrard Street, including Gerrard Street in the Chinatown area of London, England

In Northern Ireland, the first ethnic minority to arrive in significant numbers was the Chinese in the seventies. Northern Ireland (Tuaisceart Éireann Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is a Country within the United Kingdom, lying in the northeast of There are 4,200 speakers of the language (as of 2004)^[26] and although this is dwarfed by the numbers claiming to be able to speak Irish and Ulster Scots, it was said for many years that Mandarin Chinese was the second most widely spoken "first language" in Northern Ireland after English. Irish (ga ''Gaeilge'' is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Chinese people first arrived in Northern Ireland in the 1960s. Chinese is the largest non-native restaurant genre in Northern Ireland, as many of the initial immigrants set up food outlets in order to make a living.

In 1980, in what was considered a media breaktrough, David Yip starred as the main character in the popular TV series, The Chinese Detective. David Yip (born June 4, 1951) is an English Actor. Yip of Chinese descent was born in Liverpool and trained A television program (US television programme (UK or television show (U The Chinese Detective was a British television series transmitted by the BBC between 1981 and 1982 and created by Ian Kennedy Martin, who

The 1981 British Nationality Act deprived Hong Kong British passport holders of the right of abode in the United Kingdom, an issue that caused some controversy in the years leading up to the territory's handover to China in 1997. The British Nationality Act 1981 was an Act of Parliament passed by the British Parliament concerning British Nationality. A passport is a document issued by a national government which certifies for the purpose of international travel the identity and nationality of its holder The right of abode refers to an individual's freedom from immigration control in a particular Country. The transfer of sovereignty of Hong Kong from the United Kingdom to the People's Republic of China, often referred to as the Handover Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES After the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, it was considered necessary to devise a British Nationality Selection Scheme to enable some of the population to obtain British citizenship to maintain confidence in Hong Kong and to counteract the effects of the emigration of many of its most talented residents. The Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 culminating in the Tiananmen Square Massacre (referred to in Chinese as the June Fourth Incident, to avoid confusion with two The British Nationality Selection Scheme was a process used to grant British citizenship to selected persons in Hong Kong between 1990 and 1997 British nationality law is the law of the United Kingdom concerning Citizenship and other categories of British Nationality. "Emigrant" redirects here For the Butterflies, see Catopsilia. The United Kingdom made provision to grant citizenship to 50,000 families, whose presence was important to the future of Hong Kong, under the British Nationality Act (Hong Kong) 1990. See also British nationality law and British nationality law and Hong Kong. British nationality law is the law of the United Kingdom concerning Citizenship and other categories of British Nationality. British nationality law as it pertains to Hong Kong has been a unique situation ever since Hong Kong was created a British colony in 1842

In 1981, the Census recorded Britain's Chinese population as 154,363. Thirty-five Chinese-language newspapers and 362 periodicals were on sale from seven bookshops in Soho. This article is about an area of Manhattan, New York City. For the area in London UK see Soho. Sing Tao itself had a circulation of 10,000 in Britain. The Chinese population now numbered the elderly, and 30,000 children in British schools. Of these, 75 percent were born in the country, representing a new phase of settlement.

In 1982, the Merseyside Chinese Community Services opened the 'Pagoda of Hundred Harmony', an advice centre built with the help of an Urban Aid grant. In 1983, the Chinese Information and Advice Centre (CIAC), an amalgamation of the Chinese Workers Group (1975) and the Chinese Action Group (1980) received Greater London Council (GLC) funding for a centre. The Greater London Council (GLC was the top-tier Local government administrative body for Greater London from 1965 to 1986 Sixty Chinese associations, including women's groups and old people's clubs, were affiliated to two national umbrella organisations. There were approximately 7,000 restaurants, takeaways and other Chinese owned businesses, indicating a slow-down in the rate of growth. There were 926 students attending the Chinese Chamber of Commerce Mother Tongue School, which ran classes up to O-level standard. The O-level (Ordinary Level is a subject-based qualification conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education (GCE

The most significant migration from mainland China commenced mainly from the mid-1980s onward. Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES This coincided with the Chinese government's relaxed restrictions on emigration, although most left for the United States, Canada and Australia. Power within the Government of the People's Republic of China is divided among three bodies the Communist Party of China, the state and the People's The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics.

See also: Chinese immigration to the United States, History of Chinese immigration to Canada, and Chinese Australian

In 1984-85, the British and PRC governments signed the Draft Agreement on the return of Hong Kong to China in 1997. Chinese immigration to the United States consists of three major waves with the first beginning in the early 19th century This is the history of Chinese immigration to Canada. Early history The first recorded visits by the Chinese to North America can be dated to 1788 A Chinese Australian is an Australian of Chinese heritage In the 2006 Australian Census, 669890 Australian residents (or 3 The transfer of sovereignty of Hong Kong from the United Kingdom to the People's Republic of China, often referred to as the Handover Construction was also begun of Manchester's Chinatown archway which has since been the largest in Europe, and was completed in 1987. The House of Commons Home Affairs Committee report identified five main problems faced by the Chinese in Britain. The House of Commons' is the Lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords The Home Affairs Select Committee is a Committee of the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Recommendations included more language training, careers advice, community centres, and interpretation and advice services. Over 50 percent of the Chinese population was under 30; 50 percent lived outside the large metropolitan areas; only 2 percent were professionals, which included doctors, solicitors, architects, bankers, stockbrokers, business executives, teachers and university lecturers.

In 1987, Manchester's Chinatown Archway, the largest in Europe, was completed, marking co-operation between the government of the PRC, Manchester City Council and the local Chinese community. Manchester City Council is the local authority for the City of Manchester in Greater Manchester, England Ping Pong, the first Chinese film from the Chinese community in Britain, opened in London that year.

As China became wealthier during the 1990s, Chinese parents increasingly sent their children to study in the UK and elsewhere. An estimated 80,000 Chinese students attended UK universities in the academic year of 2004-05.

Small numbers of unskilled migrants from China's regions sought employment in the UK from the early 1990s. In recent years, there has been an increase in illegal immigrants coming from mainland China and other countries into the United Kingdom, some of whom pay people traffickers (so-called "snakeheads") to smuggle them into many Western countries. According to the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, a refugee is a person who owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race Mainland China, Continental China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term synonymous with the area that is under the jurisdiction Snakeheads ( are Chinese Gangs that smuggle people to other countries Due to historical and cultural reasons, a sizeable proportion originate from Fujian province in southeast China. This article is about the People's Republic of China province Others are citizens from the Commonwealth countries (mostly former British colonies), who have been able to obtain tourist or student visas and remain in the UK after their visas have expired. The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power. Most work in the black economy or are employed as illegal cheap labour, usually in agriculture and catering. Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture Catering is the Business of providing Foodservice at a remote site This activity became publicised nationwide in tragic consequences in the form of the 2004 Morecambe Bay cockling disaster, though most migrants have remained invisible. Ghosts The film Ghosts, directed by Nick Broomfield, which is a dramatisation of the events leading up to the tragedy was aired on

In April 2001, in what was one of the largest demonstrations by the Chinese community with around 1,000 people protesting in London against media reports that Chinese restaurants had started the 2001 United Kingdom foot-and-mouth crisis by using diseased meat. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. The outbreak of Foot-and-mouth disease in the United Kingdom in the spring and summer of 2001 caused a crisis in British Agriculture and Within weeks, a Chinese community monitoring group reported that trade at restaurants and takeaways had plummeted because an unsubstantiated rumour had become a scare story labelling an entire community as "dirty". Following the march, the then Agriculture Secretary Nick Brown publicly denied that the rumours had begun in his department and described the controversy as a "racist attack" on the Chinese community. The Minister of Agriculture Fisheries and Food was a UK cabinet position responsible for the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food. Nicholas Hugh "Nick" Brown (born June 13 1952 Hawkhurst, Kent) is a British Labour Party Politician and Member of ^[27] As of 2001, there were about 12,000 Chinese takeaways and 3,000 Chinese restaurants in the UK. ^[28]

Communities

From the beginning of Chinese settlement in the ports of London and Liverpool, there were no Chinatowns but communities of mixed families. Because few Chinese women were able to come to Britain, Chinese seamen set up home with local women. Many did not actually marry because that meant the woman could lose her British citizenship and would become an alien, with resulting restrictions on travel and benefits. The children of such unions often faced discrimination when it came to finding jobs. Many followed the example of Yorkshire-born Harry Cheong who had an exemplary army record during the Second World War, including fighting in Burma for which he was mentioned in dispatches. But on leaving the army he had to change his surname to get a job interview and has since lived as Harry Dewar. Such name changes have meant much Chinese history in Britain is now difficult to trace. Notable people who had Chinese fathers and English mothers include footballer Hong Y "Frank" Soo, who played for Stoke City (1933–1945) and Leslie Charteris who wrote The Saint books that were made into the successful 60's TV series. Frank Soo (real name Hong Ying Soo) ( 8 March 1914 &ndash 25 January 1991) born in Buxton, Derbyshire, and Stoke City Football Club is a football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, England. Leslie Charteris ( May 12, 1907, Singapore &ndash April 15, 1993) born Leslie Charles Bowyer-Yin, was a half- Chinese ^[29]

Liverpool

The first presence of Chinese people in Liverpool dated back to the early 19th century, with the main influx arriving at the end of the 19th century. Liverpool ( is a City and Metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary This was in part due to the Alfred Holt and Company establishing the first commercial shipping line to focus on the then China trade. Alfred Holt and Company, better known as the Blue Funnel Line, was founded by Alfred Holt on the 16 January 1866 Commerce is a division of trade or production which deals with the exchange of goods and services from producer to final consumer A shipping line is a business that operates Ships that it may or may not own From the 1890s onwards, small numbers of Chinese began to set up businesses catering to the Chinese sailors working on Holt's lines and others. Some of these men married working class British women, resulting in a number of British-born Eurasian Chinese being born during World War II in Liverpool. Working class is a term used in academic Sociology and in ordinary conversation to describe depending on context and speaker those employed in specific fields or types World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including At the beginning of the War, there were up to 20,000 Chinese mariners in the city. In 1942, there was a strike for rights and pay equal to that of white mariners. Human rights refers to the "basic Rights and freedoms to which all humans are entitled " White British " was a racially -based classification used by the 2001 census. The strike had lasted for 4 months. For the duration of the War these men were labelled as "troublemakers" by the shipowners and the British Government. Her Majesty's Government, or when the monarch is male His Majesty's Government, is the title used by the Government of the United Kingdom, based at At the end of the conflict, they were forbidden shore jobs, their pay was cut by two-thirds and they were offered only one-way voyages back to China. Hundreds of men were forced to leave their families, with many of their Eurasian children continuing to live in and around Liverpool's Chinatown to this day. ^[30] See [2].

Sheffield

Sheffield has no official Chinatown although London Road, Highfield is the centre of the Sheffield Chinese community. London Road may refer to numerous roads throughout the United Kingdom England There are countless London Roads in the UK. Highfield RFC|Highfields Highfield may refer toplaces in England Highfield Bolton Highfield Derbyshire Highfield Gloucestershire There are many Chinese restaurants, supermarkets and community stores and home of the Sheffield Chinese Community Centre. The Sheffield Chinese community is pressing for the street to be formally labelled Sheffield's Chinatown. The Chinese community in Sheffield is also spreading toward the city centre, with a notable number of Chinese people, greatly influenced by the city's university, which has the largest number of Chinese in the country. Sheffield City Centre —often just referred to as town —is a district of the City of Sheffield, and part of the Sheffield Central ward.

London

Britain began trading with China in the 17th century and a small community of Chinese sailors grew up around Limehouse over the next two centuries. Limehouse is a place in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is on the northern bank of the River Thames opposite Rotherhithe and between Ratcliff From the early 20th century, restaurants and laundries dominated this dockside Chinatown. However, due to heavy bomb damage, the area was demolished after World War II. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The Chinese established a new and larger Chinatown in Soho. This article is about an area of Manhattan, New York City. For the area in London UK see Soho. Many immigrants found employment in its restaurants during the 1960s and it is now a flourishing Chinese community in the heart of London.

The history of Chinese migration to London can be traced to the the early 15th century, when the Ming Emperors of China sent out a series of fleets, many under the command of the Admiral Zheng He. The name Chinatown has been used at different times to describe different places in London. The Ming Dynasty ( or Empire of the Great Ming ( was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol -led Zheng He ( Birth name 馬三寶 / 马三宝; Arabic / Persian name حجّي محمود شمس Hajji Mahmud Shams) (1371&ndash1433 was a Hui These fleets consisted of the largest ships built anywhere in the world at the time. Their missions were to voyage throughout the Far East, and across the Indian Ocean to India, the Red Sea and the East coast of Africa. The Far East is a term often used by people in the Western world to refer to the countries of East Asia. The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's Oceanic divisions covering about 20% of the water on the Earth 's surface India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country The Red Sea is a Salt water Inlet of the Indian Ocean between Africa and Asia. East Africa is the Easternmost Region of the African Continent.

The Chinese communities of Southeast Asia, especially those of Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, are thought to date from this period. The Kingdom of Thailand (ˈtaɪlænd ราชอาณาจักรไทย, râːtɕʰa-ʔaːnaːtɕɑ̀k-tʰɑj The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP The arrival of the first Chinese seamen in London was linked to the growth of British trade with China and Southeast Asia, especially during the 18th and 19th centuries. Chinese sailors had reached London on board East India Company ships by 1782. This small group lived around Pennyfields and Limehouse Causeway near the docks.

As the activities of the most important commercial association in the world at that time, the East India Company, expanded, China became a hugely important and profitable market. The Honourable East India Company ( HEIC) referred to most commonly as the East India Company, also historically and colloquially as John Company, or In the mid 18th century imported Chinese products became fashionable, particularly porcelain. Chinese ceramic ware is an Artform that has been developing since the dynastic periods. Tea dominated the Anglo-Chinese trade as it quickly became an English habit and its consumption grew in Britain, but there was nothing comparable that the Chinese wished to buy from the British.

The Company began to export opium from India to China, selling the drug to raise the money to buy shipments of tea. Opium is a Narcotic formed from the Latex (ie sap released by lacerating (or "scoring" the immature seed pods of opium poppies ( This was against the law and angered China's authorities. In 1839, war broke out between Britain and China over the opium trade. The Opium Wars ( also known as the Anglo-Chinese Wars, lasted from 1839 to 1842 and 1856 to 1860 the climax of a trade dispute between China under the Qing Britain defeated China and under the terms of the Treaty of Nanking in 1842, Hong Kong became a British colony. The Treaty of Nanking (Treaty of Nanjing signed 29 August, 1842, was the unequal treaty which marked the end of the First Opium War between Hong Kong ( officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a territory located on China 's south coast on the Pearl River Delta, and borders

In 1857, the Second Opium War resulted in the unequal Treaties of Tianjin which included a clause allowing Britain and France to recruit Chinese to the British Colonies, North and South America and Australia as cheap labour ("Coolies") following the cessation of the slave trade. The Second Opium War, the Second Anglo-Chinese War, the Arrow War, or the Anglo-French expedition to China, was a war of the United Kingdom Unequal Treaties is a term used in reference to the type of Treaties signed by several East Asian states including Qing Dynasty China, late Several documents titled " Treaty of Tien-tsin " ( Traditional Chinese: 天津條約 Simplified Chinese: 天津条约 Pinyin: Tiānjīn Tiáoyuē This is a list of the various territories that have been under the political control of the United Kingdom and/or its predecessor states Coolie (variously spelled Cooly Kuli Quli Koelie etcis A historical term for manual labourers from Asia particularly China and India, in the 19th The history of slavery uncovers many different forms of human exploitation across many cultures throughout history

Forced to pay for defeat in these and other colonial wars, impoverished Chinese people were driven abroad where they were often treated with suspicion, hostility and even violence. Cheap labour was often used as a pretext by British employers against demands for higher wages, and Chinese people became targets for frustrated British seamen. For example, the Ebbw Vale Company threatened to import cheap Chinese labour from Nevada to break a strike of their workers in Wales. Nevada ( is a state located in the western region of the United States of America. Yet frequently the community did organise itself to better its conditions. The record of British people is not all negative either - but for the most part it was only a minority who did speak out and join with Chinese people to fight these injustices. ^[31]

Chinese sailers were employed as Lascars on East India Company ships. Lascar, though rarely used now was once the name used to describe a Sailor from India or other countries East of the Cape of Good Hope, employed on The Honourable East India Company ( HEIC) referred to most commonly as the East India Company, also historically and colloquially as John Company, or Most Chinese seamen were engaged in the 'country trade' between China and the main Indian ports. Some did make it to London on East Indiamen. Later in the 19th century as more ships - especially the fast tea clippers - sailed directly from China to Britain, the number of Chinese sailors in the port increased. A clipper was a very fast Sailing ship of the 19th century that had multiple masts and a Square rig. There was even a visit to London by a Chinese junk. -HK CityHall Seaview 51217 5png|thumb|300px|A modern junk in Hong Kong]]A junk is a Chinese sailing vessel. The Keying reached Gravesend on 28 March 1848, after sailing from Canton to New York. Gravesend may refer to In the UK Gravesend Kent Gravesend Hertfordshire In the rest of the world Events 37 - Roman Emperor Caligula accepts the titles of the Principate, entitled to him by the Senate. Year 1848 ( MDCCCXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap Guangzhou ( Jyutping: Gwong²zau¹; Yale: Gwóngjàu) is the Capital and a Sub-provincial city The City of New York This was the first Chinese vessel to enter the Port of London. The Port of London lies along the banks of the River Thames from London, England to the North Sea. Queen Victoria boarded it while moored in the River Thames. Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901 was from 20 June 1837 the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland The Thames ( is a major River flowing through southern England.

For those Chinese who were left destitute in East London there was some hope that they would be accepted into the Strangers' Home for Asiatics, Africans and South Sea Islanders. This place of safety was opened in 1857 in West India Dock Road. The West India Docks are a series of three docks on the Isle of Dogs in London. Research into local inquests has highlighted some maltreatment of Chinese crew. In one case, a Chinese Lascar called Chan arrived in London from Calcutta on the ship Norma. Chan, who was in a very weak condition, was found by two other Lascars who carried him to the Dreadnought hospital ship at Greenwich. Greenwich ( ˈɡrɛnɪtʃ GREN-itch /ˈɡrɛnɪdʒ/ GREN-idge or /ˈɡrɪnɪdʒ/ GRIN-idge is a district in south-east London, Almost as soon as he boarded the ship he collapsed and died. A coroners' examination showed that he had died from starvation. In 1860, a total of 47 Chinese were admitted to the Seamen's Hospital. In 1863, two Chinese inmates who had been at the Strangers' Home for a year retired to spend the rest of their days in London.

Between 1854 and 1856 many Chinese seamen were housed at the 'Oriental Quarters' by the riverside at Shadwell. Shadwell is an inner-city district situated within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets located on the north bank of the Thames between Wapping to the west They were off the High Street, near the present day Wapping Underground Station. Wapping was a London Underground station near Wapping in east London, England. These Oriental Quarters were lodging houses frequently run by English women who often spoke Oriental languages, and went by names such as Chinese Emma or Canton Kitty. Their premises were often used as gambling houses and opium dens. Some ran Chinese gambling houses, where card games were held downstairs and the upstairs served as an opium room. About 20 Chinese men lived in each. The 1851 census found 78 Chinese-born residents all living in London and a parliamentary enquiry expressed doubt as to whether there was sufficient space for living conditions.

The China tea trade via Canton was resumed despite increased competition from India, which quickly surpassed China as the primary source of tea. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country In December 1877 the Louden Castle discharged 40,000 packages of China tea at the London Docks. The London Docks were one of several sets of docks in the historic Port of London. Chinese seamen stranded in London were allowed to work in the docks and many were involved in unloading China tea. One of the best-known Chinese Lascars was James Robson. Lascar, though rarely used now was once the name used to describe a Sailor from India or other countries East of the Cape of Good Hope, employed on Robson had been found as a castaway baby and taken on board a British ship by the wife of the captain. James was brought to London and grew up at Poplar. Populus is a genus of between 25–35 species of Flowering plants in the family Salicaceae, native to most of the Northern Hemisphere. He became a seaman and cook on the Cutty Sark between 1885 and 1895. Etymology The ship is named after the cutty sark ( Scots: a short Chemise or Undergarment) Another Chinese man who served on the Cutty Sark was Ah Sing Lee, a steward from Singapore. Singapore He was taken on at Shanghai in 1879 and discharged at London in 1880. Shanghai ( 上[[wikt 海|海]] is the largest city in China in terms of population and one of the largest urban areas in the world with over 20 million

The 1881 British census included British vessels at sea that had a number of Chinese aboard Royal Navy vessels, such as the HMS Encounter, HMS Comus and HMS Sheldrake. The United Kingdom has taken a Census of its population every ten years since 1801 with the exception of 1941 ( during the Second World War) The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service) There were also Chinese cooks, stewards and servants on board the HMS Mosquito and HMS Iron Duke. The British India Steam Navigation Company (BISNC), with ships such as the SS Almora and the Blue Funnel Line brought more Chinese seamen to London, especially after 1890. British India Steam Navigation Company was formed in 1856 as the Calcutta and Burmah Steam Navigation Company.

By the 1850s there were occasional records of Chinese women arriving in Britain as the nurses or 'Amahs' to British missionaries who had served in China. An amah ( Portuguese: ama, German: Amme, Medieval Latin: amma; or ayah Hindi:āyā Portuguese One example is Sing Seng, who arrived in London in 1858 from Ningpo. Ningbo ( literally "Tranquil Waves" is a Seaport with sub-provincial administrative status. After some time in London she returned to China in the service of a bishop to Hong Kong. Hong Kong ( officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a territory located on China 's south coast on the Pearl River Delta, and borders Though local sources suggest that by 1860 there were some Chinese men married to English women. Many lived at riverside settlements such as Deptford and Woolwich. Deptford is an area on the south bank of the River Thames in south-east London. Woolwich (ˈwʊlɪtʃ or /ˈwʊlɪdʒ/ is a suburb in south-east London, England in the London Borough of Greenwich, on the south side of the River Most Chinese seamen lived to the north of the river. By 1880 the Chinese community was based in Limehouse and consisted mainly of Shanghainese and Cantonese seamen who catered for the Chinese and Indians that arrived at the docks. Limehouse is a place in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is on the northern bank of the River Thames opposite Rotherhithe and between Ratcliff Shanghainese (上海閒話 in Shanghainese sometimes referred to as the Shanghai dialect, is a dialect of Wu Chinese spoken in the city of Shanghai In 1881, there were several Chinese seamen living in the boarding house of Mr M. Lamar at 14 Limehouse Court.

By 1890 there were two distinct communities:

• The Chinese from Shanghai were settled around Pennyfields, Amoy Place and Ming Street (presently the area between Westferry and Poplar DLR stations). Westferry DLR station is a station on the Docklands Light Railway (DLR in the Limehouse district of east London. Poplar is a station on the Docklands Light Railway in Travelcard Zone 2. The Docklands Light Railway (DLR is a Light rail system serving the redeveloped Docklands area of East London England.
• The Chinese from Canton and Southern China were settled around Gill Street and Limehouse Causeway.

The historian Sir Walter Besant put the Limehouse Chinese community at less then 100 people in 1891. Sir Walter Besant ( August 14, 1836, Portsmouth - June 9, 1901, London) was a Novelist and Historian

By the end of the 19th century, the transient Chinese dock community in London numbered over 500. Virtually all were single men, and some married English women.

In 1901 there were more than 40 Chinese sailors aboard the Bulysses at the Royal Albert Docks:

• 21 from Canton
• 12 from Soochow
• at least three from Hainan Island
• one from Hong Kong. The Royal Albert Dock is one of three docks in the Royal Group of Docks of east London, now part of the redeveloped Docklands. Guangzhou ( Jyutping: Gwong²zau¹; Yale: Gwóngjàu) is the Capital and a Sub-provincial city Suzhou ( ancient name 吳) is a City on the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and on the shores of Lake Taihu in the province of Jiangsu Hainan ( POJ: Hai-lam Pinyin:, Jyutping: hoi2 naam4 literal meaning "South of the Sea" is the smallest province of the People's Hong Kong ( officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a territory located on China 's south coast on the Pearl River Delta, and borders

By 1911 the area of Limehouse and Pennyfields was known as Chinatown. At Pennyfields there was a Christian Mission for the Chinese and a Confucian temple. A Temple of Confucius or Confucian temple ( is a Temple devoted to the memory of Confucius and the sages and philosophers of Confucianism At Limehouse Causeway there was the famous Ah Tack's lodging house. A boarding house, also known as a "rooming house" (mainly in the United States) or a "lodging house" is a House (often a family home

There was much prejudice against the East End Chinese community, with much of it initiated by the writings of Thomas Burke and Arthur Henry Ward. Thomas Burke or Tom Burke is a name shared by the following individuals Public officials Thomas Burke (North Carolina (ca Both of these men wrote about the Chinese community. Burke and Ward exaggerated the Chinese community's true size and made much mention of gambling, opium dens and 'unholy things' in the shadows. Though there were some individuals involved in gambling and opium smoking, for the majority of Chinese people life was hard work in the docks. It was a struggle to find passage for the return voyage to the Far East. The novelist Arnold Bennett, who visited the Limehouse Chinatown in April 1925, correctly remarked: "On the whole a rather flat night. Enoch Arnold Bennett ( 27 May 1867 - 27 March 1931) was an English Novelist. Still we saw the facts. We saw no vice whatever. The software program VICE (all caps standing for V ersat' I' le C ommodore E mulator, is an Emulator for Commodore Inspector [of Police] gave the Chinese an exceedingly good character. "

Changes to labour laws during the early 20th century meant that Chinese sailors found it increasingly difficult to find employment on ships. They turned instead to running restaurants and laundries.

The rector at St Anne's, Limehouse, estimated that at its peak after the First World War the local Chinese community never numbered more then 300 people. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All At that time the community was still based around Limehouse Causeway and Pennyfields. The area was marked with lodgings for seamen and restaurants. These streets were heavily bombed during The Blitz. The Blitz was the sustained bombing of Britain by Nazi Germany between 7 September 1940 and 10 May 1941 in World War II.

During World War II, around 10,000 Chinese men enrolled in the Merchant Navy while others defended Hong Kong and undermined Japanese forces in the Far East. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The London docks were badly damaged by bombing, and the remains demolished by the council. The London Docks were one of several sets of docks in the historic Port of London. Now only their names remain to evoke the past community. There are names such as Canton Street, Mandarin Street, Pekin Street, Ming Street and Nankin Street. Today, mostly elderly Chinese people live in the Limehouse area.

Despite the decline of the London shipping industry, the Chinese population grew steadily after the Second World War. Shipping is physical process of Transporting goods and Cargo. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including After the war the Chinese began to move into Soho and bought up cheap property. This article is about an area of Manhattan, New York City. For the area in London UK see Soho. Entire families were also entering the laundry trade. Laundry can be items of Clothing and other Textiles that require Washing the act of washing clothing and textiles Chinese hand laundries were made obsolete in the 1950s by the investion and widespread use of domestic washing machines, and eventually the introduction of laundrettes. A washing machine, or washer, is a machine designed to clean Laundry, such as Clothing, Towels and sheets The term is mostly applied A self-service laundry is a facility where Clothes are washed and dried

Yet the Chinese community continued to grow in the 1960s. This expansion was in part due to the labour shortage in Britain and the demand for Chinese labourers. In its narrowest definition a labor shortage is an economic condition in which there are insufficient qualified candidates (employees to fill the market-place demands During the same period there was a collapse of traditional agriculture in the New Territories (the mainland area of Hong Kong), as farmers became disillusioned with land reform in Hong Kong and also faced tough competition from rice farmers in Thailand and Burma. New Territories, abbreviated to NT or NT, is a region in Hong Kong excluding Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and Stonecutters Island Land reforms (also Agrarian reform, though that can have a broader meaning is an often- controversial alteration in the societal arrangements whereby government This led to the chain migration of single men seeking employment in Chinese restaurants in London, especially in the Soho and Bayswater areas. This article is about an area of Manhattan, New York City. For the area in London UK see Soho. Bayswater is an area of west London in the City of Westminster. Most spoke Cantonese or Hakka, though written Chinese was a means of communication for the whole community. These restaurant workers sent part of their wages home to support their families.

The increase in immigration was initially composed of single men coming to Britain on work permits. Work permit is a generic term for a legal authorization which allows a person to take employment Sometimes the men would register their age as 10 years younger than they really were. This was especially true of those seeking employment in the Merchant Navy. After saving enough money they would bring their families over and establish their own catering businesses. Catering is the Business of providing Foodservice at a remote site

During the 1960s, the number of Chinese people in London rose fivefold. The Chinese established various organisations such as language schools, gambling houses mainly for socialising and a Chinese Church in the West End. One notorious club was the Chi Kung Tong (Achieve Justice Society), the first Triad Society in Britain. ^[32]

By the late 1960s the Chinese restaurants and shops around Gerrard Street, Lisle Street and Little Newport Street had evolved into "Tong Yan Kai", otherwise known as Chinatown. The general public developed a taste for Chinese food during the postwar restaurant boom.

In the 1970s and 1980s many ethnic Chinese who had settled in Vietnam for generations were forced to leave as 'boat people' following the Vietnam War. Hoa refers to a minority in Vietnam consisting of persons considered Vietnam (ˌviːɛtˈnɑːm Việt Nam) officially Boat people is a term that usually refers to Illegal immigrants or Asylum seekers who emigrate en masse in boats that are sometimes old and crudely made rendering The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, or the Vietnam Conflict, occurred in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia Many settled in Lewisham, Lambeth and Hackney, as well as elsewhere in the UK. Lewisham is a district in south-east London, England and the principal settlement of the London Borough of Lewisham. Lambeth is a place in the London Borough of Lambeth, although the area is now more commonly known as Waterloo, after the railway station whose viaduct separates the

The 1980s and 1990s saw a migration of academics and professionals from Chinatown to the suburbs of Croydon and Colindale. Croydon is a large town and major commercial centre in South London, and the principal settlement of the London Borough of Croydon. Colindale is an area in the London Borough of Barnet, although its main shopping street is in the London Borough of Brent on its west side

Since the 1980s, London's Chinatown has been transformed by Westminster City Council, to become a major tourist attraction and a cultural focal point of the Chinese community in London. The name Chinatown has been used at different times to describe different places in London. The City of Westminster ( is a borough of London with city status.

Today over 100,000 Chinese people live in London, and are more evenly dispersed throughout the city and its boroughs. Roughly half of the Chinese population of the United Kingdom now live in London, mainly in the boroughs of Barnet, Haringey, Waltham Forest, Hackney, Southwark and Westminster. The London Borough of Barnet ( is a London borough in North London and forms part of Outer London. The London Borough of Haringey (ˈhærɪŋgeɪ) is a Borough of North London, classified by some definitions as part of Inner London, and by The London Borough of Waltham Forest is a London borough in East London England and forms part of Outer London. The London Borough of Hackney ( is a London borough in North-East London and forms part of Inner London. The London Borough of Southwark ( is a London borough in south east London, England. The City of Westminster ( is a borough of London with city status. Mare Street in Hackney is the hub of a small Vietnamese ChinaTown. The principal languages of the London Chinese community are Cantonese and Hakka (from the New Territories, Hong Kong and Vietnam). There are also some speakers of Hokien, Teow Cheow and Hainannese. The Chinese from the People's Republic of China, Taiwan and Singapore tend to speak Mandarin (or Putonghua). A large network of Chinese schools and community centres offers support and a means of passing on cultural identity from one generation to the next.

Chinese New Year

The Chinese New Year or Spring Festival is the most important celebration for Chinese and other East Asian communities. Chinese New Year is the most important of the Traditional Chinese holidays. Chinese New Year is the most important of the Traditional Chinese holidays. It's also part of the story of immigration; a bond linking overseas Chinese and their descendants to their heritage, even though they live thousands of miles away from their ancestral homelands. Celebrations for Chinese people are of great traditional significance and include a ritual cleaning of their houses and visit to the temple, but also involve feasting with the family, celebration, fireworks, and gift-giving. This festival follows the lunar calendar so it can fall any time from late January to mid-February and begins on the first day of a new moon and ends with the full moon on the day of the Lantern Festival. A lunar calendar is a Calendar that is based on cycles of the Moon phase. The Lantern Festival a Chinese festival celebrated on the fifteenth day of the first month in the Lunar year in the Chinese calendar.

Celebrations in London are famous for colourful parades, fireworks and dancing through streets. The route starts in the Strand and goes along Charing Cross Road and Shaftesbury Avenue. Charing Cross Road is a London street which runs immediately north of St Martin-in-the-Fields to St Giles' Circus (the intersection with Oxford Street For the racehorse see Shaftesbury Avenue (horse Shaftesbury Avenue is a major street in London, England, Other activities include a family show in Trafalgar Square with dragon and lion dances and traditional and contemporary Chinese arts by performers from both London and China. Trafalgar Square is a square in central London, England. With its position in the heart of London it is a tourist attraction its trademark is Nelson's Chinese art ( Chinese: 中國藝術/中国艺术 has varied throughout its ancient history, divided into periods by the ruling Dynasties of China and changing There are fireworks displays in Leicester Square, as well as cultural stalls, food, decorations and lion dance displays throughout the day in London Chinatown. For the British guitarist see Lester Square. Leicester Square (ˈlɛstɚ is a Pedestrianised square in the West End The name Chinatown has been used at different times to describe different places in London.

Chinatowns

In several major cities there are Chinatowns, which have become tourist attractions and where Chinese restaurants and businesses predominate, although in some cases relatively few Chinese people may live there. A Chinatown is a section of an urban area with a large number of Chinese outside the majority-Chinese countries of Greater China. Tourism is Travel for Recreational or Leisure purposes The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel ^[33]

• Chinatown, London
• Chinatown, Birmingham
• Chinatown, Manchester
• Chinatown, Liverpool
• Chinatown, Newcastle
• Chinatown, Sheffield
• Chinatown, Belfast
• Chinatown, Aberdeen

Community events

There are Chinatowns and Chinese community centres in almost every place where there is a substantial Chinese community, and new immigrants and long term citizens can find help and support there. The name Chinatown has been used at different times to describe different places in London. The Chinese Quarter is an area with a predominantly Chinese influence as a result of a concentration of Chinese owned businesses organisations and social clubs Manchester 's Chinatown is the second largest Chinatown in the United Kingdom and the fourth largest in Europe The Chinatown in Liverpool in Merseyside, is at Nelson Street and the Duke Street area and is home to the oldest Chinese community in Europe. This article discusses Chinatowns in Europe. Several urban Chinatowns exist in major European capital cities This article discusses Chinatowns in Europe. Several urban Chinatowns exist in major European capital cities This article discusses Chinatowns in Europe. Several urban Chinatowns exist in major European capital cities This article discusses Chinatowns in Europe. Several urban Chinatowns exist in major European capital cities

There are also many activities of interest to new generations and the community at large, such as women's groups, health talks, day trips, cookery sessions, swimming classes, English as a Second Language classes, and IT training courses. Information technology ( IT) as defined by the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA is "the study design development implementation support There are celebrations of Chinese and British festivals, volunteer groups to help members of the community, as well as a work experience scheme for local school students to spend placements working within businesses in the community.

Since 2000 the emergence of Internet discussion sites produced by British Chinese young people has provided an important forum for many of them to grapple with questions concerning their identities, experiences and status in Britain. An, or message board, is a Bulletin board system in the form of a discussion site ^[34]

Dimsum (www. Dimsum (Dim sum is a Non-profit website for people interested in the experience of being Chinese or East Asian in the UK. dimsum. co. uk) is the British Chinese Community Website and has articles and links on all aspects of Chinese culture and issues relating to Chinese living in Britain. The Culture of China (traditional Chinese 中國文化 simplified Chinese 中国文化 is home to one of the world's oldest and most complex Civilizations covering a history There is news about cultural events such as art shows, concerts and festivals, articles about issues such as gambling and social cohesion, and news about community issues such as changing immigration regulations. Social cohesion is term used in Social policy, Sociology and Political science to describe the bonds or "glue" that bring people together in Immigration refers to the movement of people among countries While the movement of people has existed throughout human history at various levels modern immigration implies long-term There is a section to help immigrants keep in touch with life in China, and to find the latest authentic Chinese restaurants and recipes, the food section is a fantastic resource. There is even a forum to discuss these issues online.

The introduction of the Pearl Awards in 2004, which aim to recognise and commend achievements of the Chinese Community, the founding of 'Chinatown - the Magazine' and growth of websites like Dimsum. co. uk have also raised the community's profile.

London

There are Chinese community centres in Chinatown, Barnet, Camden, Islington, Lambeth, Haringey and Tower Hamlets. The name Chinatown has been used at different times to describe different places in London. High Barnet or Chipping Barnet is a place in the London Borough of Barnet in North London, England. Islington is the central district of the London Borough of Islington. Lambeth is a place in the London Borough of Lambeth, although the area is now more commonly known as Waterloo, after the railway station whose viaduct separates the The London Borough of Haringey (ˈhærɪŋgeɪ) is a Borough of North London, classified by some definitions as part of Inner London, and by The London Borough of Tower Hamlets ( is a London borough to the east of the City of London, England and north of the River Thames in East Major organisations include:

• London Chinese Community Centre [3]
• London Chinatown Chinese Association [4]
• London Chinese Cultural Centre [5]

Westminster Chinese Library, based at Charing Cross Library, holds one of the largest collections of Chinese materials in UK public libraries. It has a collection of over 50,000 Chinese books available for loan and reference to local readers of Chinese languages; Music cassettes, CDs, video films for loan; Community information and general enquiries; A national subscription service of Chinese books; and Chinese events organised from time to time.

The London Dragon Boat Festival is held annually in June at the London Regatta Centre, Royal Albert Docks. The London Regatta Centre, a state-of-the-art rowing centre is located in the heart of the Docklands area in the East End of London. The Royal Albert Dock is one of three docks in the Royal Group of Docks of east London, now part of the redeveloped Docklands. It is organised by the London Chinatown Lions Club. [6]

Major issues

Language poses a serious problem for the older generation and for women working at home. Isolation and depression are common and, increasingly, Chinese community groups are providing advocacy and counselling to alleviate these problems. Solitude is a state of Seclusion or Isolation, ie lack of contact with people or love Major depressive disorder, also known as major depression, unipolar depression, unipolar disorder, clinical depression, or simply depression For men in the catering trade, unsociable hours and the lack of after-hours venues has led to the problem of late-night gambling clubs.

Accommodation tied to work is still common practice for those working in restaurants. As a result, homelessness is a serious issue faced by many elderly retirees. Homelessness is the condition and social category of people who lack housing because they cannot afford or are otherwise unable to maintain regular safe and adequate shelter Limited access to Chinese-speaking housing associations makes it harder for them to obtain advice on housing and rights. Housing associations in the United Kingdom are independent not-for-profit bodies that provide low-cost "social housing" for people in housing

For older Chinese Londoners, tri-lingual community centres are an invaluable resource providing essential advice and services. For the younger generation of British-born Chinese, these centres provide a meaningful way to participate in their community and keep in touch with their language and cultural identity.

The connection between China and London has developed recently, with China hosting the 2008 Olympic Games, before handing the baton on to London. A series of cultural and business exchanges and exhibitions have increased awareness about Chinese culture for many Londoners. The Trafalgar Square celebration of Chinese New Year is now a firm fixture on London's Festival Calendar.

Min Quan

Min Quan is a branch of The Monitoring Group that provides casework, advocacy and support services to victims of racial and domestic violence from the Chinese community. Hate crimes (also known as bias motivated crimes) occur when a perpetrator targets a victim because of his or her membership in a certain Social group, usually defined Domestic violence (also known as domestic abuse or spousal abuse) occurs when a family member partner or ex-partner attempts to physically or psychologically dominate This work includes actions against the police for misconduct, representation and advocacy, training, information dissemination, a helpline and open surgeries.

In 1999, the New Diamond Restaurant in London Chinatown was attacked. Volunteers formed a group to support and represent the victims of the attack. The volunteers mounted a campaign highlighting the plight of the waiters, set up an emergency Helpline for the victims, and an advice surgery in Chinatown. The need for these services was so great at the time that this embryonic Min Quan group was soon overwhelmed with calls for assistance from across the country during the winter months of 1999. Throughout this time, the volunteers carried out their activities with the assistance of The Monitoring Group (TMG), a long-established anti-racist organisation. Anti-racism includes beliefs actions movements and policies adopted or developed to oppose Racism. In 2000, Min Quan formalised its status and became a branch of TMG. [7]

Arts

Chinese Arts Centre is the international agency for the development and promotion of contemporary Chinese artists. Established in 1986, it is based in Manchester, the city with the second largest Chinese community in the UK, and the organisation is part of the region's rich Chinese heritage. [8]

The Chinese Arts Centre also hosts the International Chinese Live Art Festival which showcases work being made by Chinese artists from across the world. [9]

China Here And There (CHAT), also based in Manchester, is a non-profit arts development organisation creating and producing new work with a China or Chinese focus, in theatre, film, literature and music. The organisation was founded in the year 2000, by Dr Amy Lai, and has received funding and support from the Arts Council of England, the National Foundation for Youth Music, North West Playwrights, and the Manchester Community Chest. Arts Council England was formed in 1994 when the Arts Council of Great Britain was divided into three separate bodies for England, Scotland and Wales In music, literature, film and theatre, China Here And There is now developing an exchange programme with China, mixing two new Chinese cultures: "here, in England, and there, in China". [10]

Established in December 2004, Ricefield Arts was founded by Lin Chau and Julia Hung, two prominent figures in graphic designing and printing in the Glasgow Chinese community, and is supported by members from diverse backgrounds in art, music and education who share the passions for Chinese arts. Glasgow (ˈglæzgoʊ is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom Located in the Garnethill area of Glasgow city centre, Ricefield Arts' proximity to the Chinatown and Chinese quarter, and the Glasgow School of Art, McLellan Gallery and the Centre of Contemporary Art reflects its status as the hub for Chinese arts and culture in Glasgow and Scotland as a whole. Garnethill is a predominately residential area of the city of Glasgow, Scotland Located in the city centre the area borders Cowcaddens to its north It is the meeting point for artists, musicians and designers. [11]

The Yellow Earth Theatre Company is a London-based international touring company formed by five British East Asian performers in 1995. It aims to promotes the writing and performing talents of East Asians in Britain.

Chinatown Arts Space (CAS) was initiated in 2003 by a group of British East Asian (BEA) artists who foresaw the need to champion the development of East Asian performing and visual arts in London. Since the 17th century there have been East Asian people in Britain. The visual arts are art forms that focus on the creation of works which are primarily Visual in nature such as Painting, Photography Led by Yellow Earth Theatre (YET), the UK's flagship BEA company, a consortium was formed with support from Westminster City Council (WCC), Shaftesbury PLC, and London Chinese Chinatown Association (LCCA). The City of Westminster ( is a borough of London with city status.

CNHLC Project

The Chinese National Healthy Living Centre is creating an archive - "Footprints of the Dragon" - recording the occupational engagement of Chinese settlers in London from the 1880s to the present day. The project will include an educational programme for school children in London and culminate in an exhibition for Londoners. The focus of the archive will be the laundry and catering trades. This project is in partnership with London Metropolitan Archives (LMA) and London Chinese Community Network (LCCN). The London Metropolitan Archives ( LMA) are the main Archives for the Greater London area [12]

Demographics

Britain has been receiving ethnic Chinese migrants more or less uninterruptedly on varying scale since the nineteenth century. While new immigrant arrivals numerically have replenished the Chinese community, they have also added to its complexity and the already existing cleavages within the community. Meanwhile, new generations of British-born Chinese have emerged. The educational success of the younger, British-born Chinese has brought professional and economic prosperity to the Chinese community.

Population

The population figure of 247,403 (approximately 0. 5% of the UK population and around 5% of the total non-white population in the UK), cited from figures produced by the UK's Office for National Statistics (ONS), is based on the 2001 national census. The Office for National Statistics (ONS is the executive office of the UK Statistics Authority, a non-ministerial department which reports directly However, it may not be an entirely accurate figure of the current population of people of Chinese origin in the UK. Reasons for this include: some had not participated in the 2001 national census during that time, some had not specifed their ethnic group in the census, either intentionally or unintentionally, and successive Chinese migration to or from the UK since 2001. A recent publication from the ONS, "Focus on Ethnicity and Religion (October) 2006",^[35] gave some detailed figures on the makeup of the UK's Chinese population that were based on the information by those who had identified themselves as 'Chinese' in the United Kingdom Census 2001. A nationwide Census, commonly known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday 29 April 2001

• Total population: 500,000
• Geographical distribution: 33% of the Chinese in Britain live in London, 13. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. 6% in the South East, 11. South East England is one of the nine official Regions of England. 1% in the North West. North West England is one of the nine official Regions of England.
• Birthplace: 29% in Hong Kong, 25% England, 19% Mainland China, 8% Malaysia, 4% Vietnam, 3% Singapore, 2. Hong Kong ( officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a territory located on China 's south coast on the Pearl River Delta, and borders England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Mainland China, Continental China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term synonymous with the area that is under the jurisdiction For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and Vietnam (ˌviːɛtˈnɑːm Việt Nam) officially Singapore 4% Scotland, 2% Taiwan, 0. Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. Taiwan ( Taiwanese: Tâi-oân/Tāi-oân (historically 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣 is an Island in East Asia. 9% Wales, 0. 1% Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland (Tuaisceart Éireann Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is a Country within the United Kingdom, lying in the northeast of
• Religion: 53% of Chinese reported no religious affiliation, 21. Irreligion is a lack of religion indifference to religion or hostility to religion 1% Christian, 15. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth 1% Buddhist. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices
• Occupation: Of all ethnic groups, Chinese had the highest proportion as students (about a third) and the lowest in "routine/manual" occupations (17%). The word student is etymologically derived through Middle English from the Latin second-type conjugation Verb "studēre"

It should be noted, however, that in the United Kingdom, "Asian demographics" and "Chinese demographics" are separate. In British usage, the word "Asian" or "British Asian" when describing people usually refers to those from South Asia (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Maldives, etc. British English or UK English ( BrE, BE, en-GB) is the broad term used to distinguish the forms of the English language used in the British Asians are British citizens who are immigrants or descendants of immigrants from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and ( Bengali: বাংলাদেশ inc-Latn Bangladesh) officially Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka ( Sinhalese:, இலங்கை known as Ceylon before 1972 is an Island Nepal (नेपाल) is a Landlocked country in South Asia. The Maldives ( or, or Maldive Islands) officially the Republic of Maldives, is an Island nation consisting of a group of atolls stretching ).

Geographic distribution

Compared to most ethnic minorities in the UK, the Chinese tend to be more widespread and decentralised. However, significant numbers of British Chinese people can be found in Birmingham, Brighton, Cambridge, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Milton Keynes, Hull, Sheffield and Swansea. Birmingham ( ˈbɜːmɪŋəm Ber -ming-um Brighton ( is a town on the south coast of England and with its neighbour Hove, forms the city of Brighton and Hove. The city of Cambridge (ˈkeɪmbrɪdʒ is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England Glasgow (ˈglæzgoʊ is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom Edinburgh ( ˈɛdɪnb(ərə Dùn Èideann) is the Capital of Scotland and is its second largest city after Glasgow. Liverpool ( is a City and Metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Milton Keynes ( ˌmɪltənˈkiːnz often abbreviated to MK, is a large town Kingston upon Hull ( almost invariably referred Central ward &mdashwhich includes the districts of Broomhall, Highfield, Sharrow, and the city centre&mdashis one of the 28 electoral wards Swansea ( Abertawe "mouth of the Tawe " is a city and county in Wales. In Northern Ireland, Chinese make up the largest non-white minority, although the population of roughly 4,000 is relatively small. Northern Ireland (Tuaisceart Éireann Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is a Country within the United Kingdom, lying in the northeast of

Many locations with a high visible Chinese cultural presence are called Chinatowns. A Chinatown is a section of an urban area with a large number of Chinese outside the majority-Chinese countries of Greater China. Liverpool's Chinatown is situated around the Berry Street and Duke Street area in the city centre. Liverpool ( is a City and Metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary The Ceremonial Archway, which was built in Shanghai, China, is located at the heart of Liverpool's Chinatown. Shanghai ( 上[[wikt 海|海]] is the largest city in China in terms of population and one of the largest urban areas in the world with over 20 million Before World War II, the original Chinatown was situated around Pitt Street. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including In London, there is a Chinatown centred around Gerrard Street, Soho, in the West End of central London which has many Chinese restaurants and businesses; it is mostly a commercial area, most Chinese live in other parts of London, especially north London and Colindale in particular. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. The name Chinatown has been used at different times to describe different places in London. This article is about an area of Manhattan, New York City. For the area in London UK see Soho. The West End of London is an area of Central London, England, containing many of the city's major tourist attractions businesses headquarters and the commercial North London is the northern part of London, England. The area it covers is defined differently for a range of purposes Colindale is an area in the London Borough of Barnet, although its main shopping street is in the London Borough of Brent on its west side Sheffield's unofficial Chinatown is located at London Road. London Road is a Shopping street in Sheffield, England. It leads south from the city centre near Moorfoot, parallel to Bramall Lane

Largest urban Chinese communities

(These are all 2005 Estimates^[36])

• London - 107,100 (1. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. 4%)
• Manchester - 10,800 (2. 3%)
• Birmingham - 10,700 (1. Birmingham ( ˈbɜːmɪŋəm Ber -ming-um 1%)
• Liverpool - 6,800 (1. Liverpool ( is a City and Metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary 5%)
• Sheffield - 5,100 (1. Sheffield ( is a city and Metropolitan borough in South Yorkshire, England 0%)
• Oxford - 4,200 (2. Oxford is currently bidding for the 2010 Wikimania Conference Oxford () is a city, and the County town of Oxfordshire, 9%)
• Cambridge - 3,600 (3. The city of Cambridge (ˈkeɪmbrɪdʒ is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England 1%)
• Newcastle upon Tyne - 3,100 (1. Newcastle upon Tyne ( (often shortened to Newcastle) is a city and Metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, England 1%)

Education and employment

In terms of educational achievement, figures in 2002 showed that British Chinese pupils were more likely to have gained five or more A*-C GCSE grades than any other ethnic group, with 77% of British Chinese girls and 71% of British Chinese boys respectively achieving that target. Education encompasses both the Teaching and Learning of Knowledge, proper conduct, and technical competency The General Certificate of Secondary Education ( GCSE) is the name of an academic qualification awarded in a specified subject generally taken in a number of subjects by British Chinese school pupils had the lowest exclusion rate at 2 per 10,000. A British Chinese person was also more likely to possess a university degree, or hold a job in a professional class, than the average Briton, but conversely, British Chinese people had the highest proportion with no qualifications (20%), and twice the unemployment rate (10%) compared to white Britons (5%). A university is an institution of Higher education and Research, which grants Academic degrees in a variety of subjects A degree is any of a wide range of status levels conferred by institutions of Higher education, such as universities, normally as the result of successfully completing The term profession is applied to those persons who have specialized and technical skill or knowledge which they apply for a fee to certain tasks that ordinary and unqualified people cannot Unemployment occurs when a person is available to work and currently seeking work but the person is without work. British Chinese men also had the highest rate of working-age economic inactivity (defined as those of working-age not available for work and/or not actively seeking work) of all males at 37%, twice the rate for white British men. The vast majority of economically inactive British Chinese men were students. ^[37] The British Chinese were more likely to be self-employed (16%) than any other ethnic group except for Pakistanis. In 2004, just under half of British Chinese men in employment worked in the distribution, hotel and restaurant industry, compared with one sixth of their white British counterparts. British Chinese women are also concentrated in the distribution, hotel and restaurant industry, as two fifths worked in this industry in 2004. The British Chinese were most likely to have been employed in managerial and professional occupations (38 percent), compared with 27% for white Britons.

Health and welfare

Chinese men and women were the least likely to report their health as ‘not good’ of all ethnic groups. Health is a state of complete physical mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity Chinese men and women had the lowest rates of long-term illness or disability which restricts daily activities. Illness (sometimes referred to as ill-health or ail) can be defined as a state of poor Health. The British Chinese population (5. 8%) were least likely to be providing informal care (unpaid care to relatives, friends or neighbours). Around 0. 25% of the British Chinese population were residents in hospital and other care establishments. ^[38]

Smoking and drinking^[39]

Chinese men (17%) were the least likely to smoke of all ethnic groups. Fewer than 10% of Chinese women smoked. Fewer than 10% of the Chinese adult population drank above the recommended daily alcohol guidelines on their heaviest drinking day. This article summarizes the recommended maximum intake (or 'safe limits' of alcohol as recommended by the health agencies of various governments

Inter-ethnic marriage

The British Chinese have one of the highest inter-ethnic marriage rates in the country when compared to other ethnic minority groups, and including the white population. According to the United Kingdom Census 2001, 30% of Chinese women intermarried, a figure twice that for Chinese men (15%). A nationwide Census, commonly known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday 29 April 2001 ^[40]

Voter registration

A survey conducted in 2006, estimated that around 30 percent of British Chinese were not on the electoral register, and therefore not able to vote. ^[41][42] This compares to 6% of whites and 17% for all ethnic minorities. The figure for Black Africans is 37%.

In a bid to increase voter registration and turnout, and reverse voter apathy within the community, campaigns have been organized such as the British Chinese Register to Vote organised by Get Active UK, a working title that encompasses all the activities run by the Integration of British Chinese into Politics (the BC Project) and its various partners. The campaign wishes to highlight the low awareness of politics among the British Chinese community; to encourage those eligible to vote but not on the electoral register to get registered; to help people make a difference on issues affecting themselves and their communities on a daily basis by getting their voices heard through voting. ^[43]

People

Main article: List of British Chinese people

Society and business

At the turn of the twentieth century, the number of Chinese in Britain was small. See also British Chinese This article is a list of prominent people of Chinese ancestry who were born in or have settled in the United Kingdom. Most were sailors who had deserted or been abandoned by their employers after landing in British ports. In the 1880s, some Chinese migrants had fled the US during the anti-Chinese campaign and settled in Britain, where they started up businesses based on their experience in America. Chinese immigration to the United States consists of three major waves with the first beginning in the early 19th century There is little evidence to suggest that these 'double migrants' had established close ties with Britain's other, longer-standing Chinese community. By the middle of the twentieth century, the community was on the point of extinction, and would probably have lost its cultural distinctiveness if not for the arrival of tens of thousands of Hong Kong Chinese beginning from the 1950s.

Starting a small business was the main way the Chinese coped with their limited ability to find employment in a generally alien and hostile, English-speaking environment. They forged inter-ethnic partnerships to overcome the twin problem of raising funds and finding employees. In the first half of the twentieth century, most Chinese were involved in the laundry business, while migrants who arrived after the Second World War worked primarily in the catering industry. Laundry can be items of Clothing and other Textiles that require Washing the act of washing clothing and textiles Catering is the Business of providing Foodservice at a remote site As these businesses grew, so too did the demand for labour, which entrepreneurs met by exploiting kinship ties to bring family members into Britain. The Chinese kinship system ( is classified as a Sudanese kinship system (also referred to as the "Descriptive system" used to define Family Business partnerships broke up and evolved into family firms, starting and gradually reinforcing the move away from community-based enterprise. With this, competition escalated, since most migrants were involved in the same sector of industry.

This competition necessitated the community's geographical dispersal which further hindered its attempts to struggle collectively for greater protection from the authorities against racist discrimination. List of racism-related topics|Racism by country Racism, by its simplest definition is the belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that In urban areas, the experience of racism forced the Chinese into 'ethnic niches', comprising primarily of restaurants and takeaways, thus heightening competition and placing further limits on communal cooperation. The more entrepreneurial of these migrants would strive to leave these enclaves and were usually the ones who achieved social mobility. See also Economic mobility Social mobility is the degree to which in a given society an individual's family's or group's social status Later arrivals – the seafarers (in the first half of the twentieth century) and immigrants from Hong Kong (from the 1960s) – were unable to cooperate to challenge the policies of the British government which were designed to prevent them from entering other economic sectors, even as part of the labour force. Her Majesty's Government, or when the monarch is male His Majesty's Government, is the title used by the Government of the United Kingdom, based at In Economics the people in the labor force are the suppliers of labor In addition to the generalized racism that they encountered, these Chinese migrants were trapped by policies to remain in economic spheres where their links with the majority population were curtailed and competition with the latter was minimized.

Government policies also had an important bearing on the issues of integration and enterprise development. Social integration is a term used in Sociology and several other Social sciences. The Conservative government under Margaret Thatcher in the late 1970s and early 1980s actively promoted the setting up of small enterprises, essentially as a mechanism to deal with the problem of racism. The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Margaret Hilda Thatcher Baroness Thatcher LG, OM, PC, FRS (born 13 October 1925 ^[44] The government was then of the view that since immigrants preferred to concentrate on small businesses due to the hardships and difficulties, in the form of language barriers and racist discrimination, they experienced in the UK they would opt for opportunities for business ownership rather than employment with or by non co-ethnics.

While small enterprises have helped migrants to cope with the problem of their isolation and alienation in the new environment, a good segment of their children, on the other hand, have done well in education, notably at tertiary level, and have made a prominent presence as professionals and in the high-tech sector. Education in the United Kingdom is organised separately in each of the countries of the United Kingdom with power over education in Scotland Wales and Northern Ireland being devolved Tertiary education, also referred to as third stage third level and' post-secondary education', is the educational level following the completion of a school providing ^[45] Given the knowledge that their parents worked long hours and under difficult conditions to alleviate themselves from poverty, most children of migrants scorn the notion of taking over their parents' businesses, specifically those that function as small enterprises. The dreariness of the nature of work and life in a takeaway also have a bearing on why they generally shun the businesses run by their parents.

By the turn of this century, the Chinese in the UK could be broadly categorized into four main categories: Hong Kong Chinese from the rural New Territories who started arriving in large numbers in the 1950s and 1960s. Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated areas in the world with an overall density of some 6300 people per square kilometre New Territories, abbreviated to NT or NT, is a region in Hong Kong excluding Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and Stonecutters Island Many of them moved into catering and food wholesaling and retailing; Southeast Asian Chinese, who also started arriving in the 1960s. Primarily from middle-class, professional backgrounds, some of them have also gone into business, including catering; the newest arrivals from mainland China and urban Hong Kong in the 1980s, who have gone into business related to technology and manufacturing; the fourth group comprises British-born Chinese, whose members are mostly well-qualified and work in hi-tech industries. Mainland China, Continental China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term synonymous with the area that is under the jurisdiction Hong Kong ( officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a territory located on China 's south coast on the Pearl River Delta, and borders ^[46]

Given their diverse national and class backgrounds, even though a small community, the Chinese never aspired for social cohesion. The absence of this goal of social congruence is reflected in the creation by them of numerous social and economic institutions to represent their interests. Most of these associations, fraught with divisions, have now ceased to operate. ^[46] Moreover, a large number of poor Chinese migrants in the UK were forced to work for other Chinese who exploited them so badly that they could not wait to leave to set up their own enterprise. The diversity that exists within this society is what informs the character of the Chinese community in Britain.

The largest Chinese enterprises are involved in wholesaling and retailing and are mainly controlled by migrants born in Hong Kong. Wholesaling is the sale of Goods or Merchandise to Retailers to industrial commercial institutional or other professional Business users There is no evidence that they have invested in launderettes. Unlike the situation in the US, the Chinese community in the UK has not built on its long presence in this sector. Although a small number of Chinese launderettes still operate in a number of cities, they do not seem to operate as companies.

The lists of directors and shareholders of Chinese-owned companies provide no evidence of interlocking stock ownership or of interlocking directorships. A number of them were created and ran as partnerships before coming under the control of one individual or family. Most of the start-up funds for these businesses have come from personal savings or put together by family members. In common usage saving generally means putting money aside for example by putting money in the bank or investing in a Pension plan There is little evidence that they have had access to ethnic-based funding, and there are very few instances to suggest that financial aid has been provided on intra-ethnic grounds; rather, such assistance was for the mutual benefit of both borrower and lender. ^[47] An example of an ethnic Chinese who capitalised on his ethnicity to create a Chinese-based business center in the UK is W. W(ing). Yip. An immigrant from Hong Kong who started out as a waiter, Yip became a restaurateur and later built his reputation as a leading wholesaler and retailer of Chinese food products. He is the owner of Britain's largest Chinese enterprise in terms of sales volume. ^[48]

See also

• East Asian people in Britain (see template below)
• British-Chinese relations
• British nationality law and Hong Kong
• History of British nationality law
• Chinese emigration
• Overseas Chinese (see template below)
• Chinatown
• Model minority
• Sinophobia
• Racism in the United Kingdom
• Historical immigration to Great Britain
• Immigration to the United Kingdom (1922-present day)

References

• Chinese London - Museum of London

Footnotes

• In British nationality law, a person can be naturalised or registered as a British citizen. British nationality law is the law of the United Kingdom concerning Citizenship and other categories of British Nationality. British nationality law is the law of the United Kingdom concerning Citizenship and other categories of British Nationality. This difference in the law is not important in this article.
• Normally, ethnic Chinese people holding a British National (Overseas) passport are not considered to be "British Chinese", as they do not normally hold the right of abode in the UK. Han Chinese ( are an Ethnic group native to China and by most modern definitions the largest single Ethnic group in the world. British nationality law as it pertains to Hong Kong has been a unique situation ever since Hong Kong was created a British colony in 1842 The right of abode refers to an individual's freedom from immigration control in a particular Country. Ethnic Chinese people who had obtained British Citizenship in Hong Kong prior to handover and do not normally reside in the UK are not a main concern of this article. British nationality law as it pertains to Hong Kong has been a unique situation ever since Hong Kong was created a British colony in 1842

Further reading

There have been very few books written on the history of the Chinese in Britain, with what exists are mainly surveys, dissertations, census figures, and newspaper reports.

Books

• The Chinese in Britain, 1800-Present: Economy, Transnationalism, and Identity by Gregor Benton and E. T. Gomez, Palgrave, 2007.
• Parker, D. "Britain" in L. Pan Ed. (2006) Encyclopaedia of the Chinese Overseas, Singapore: Chinese Heritage Centre (revised edition).
• Maria Lin Wong, Chinese Liverpudlians: A history of the Chinese community in Liverpool (Birkenhead, 1989).
• The Anglo-Chinese author Timothy Mo wrote the Booker prize-winning novel Sour Sweet about a Chinese family running a restaurant in late sixties and seventies London who fall foul of a group of Triads. Timothy Peter Mo (毛翔青 (born December 30, 1950 ¹ Hong Kong) is an Anglo - Chinese novelist The Man Booker Prize for Fiction, also known in short as the Booker Prize, is a literary prize awarded each year for the best original full-length Novel
• Choo, Ng Kwee, The Chinese in London (London, 1968).
• May, John, "The Chinese in Britain, 1869-1914" in Colin Holmes (ed. ), Immigrants and Minorities in British Society (London, 1978), pp. 111-124.

Papers

• Graham Chan. "The Chinese in Britain". Adapted from an article originally published in Brushstrokes, issue 12, June 1999.
• John Seed. ‘"Limehouse Blues": Looking for Chinatown in the London Docks,1900-1940’, History Workshop Journal, No. 62 (Autumn 2006), pp. 58-85. The Chinese In Limehouse 1900 - 1940. By John Seed 31/01/2007 - A talk at the Museum in Docklands.
• Akilli, Sinan, M. A. "Chinese Immigration to Britain in the Post-WWII Period", Hacettepe University, Turkey. Postimperial and Postcolonial Literature in English, 15 May 2003
• Archer, L. and Francis, B. (December 2005) "Constructions of racism by British Chinese pupils and parents", Race, Ethnicity and Education, Volume 8, Number 4, pp. 387-407(21).
• Archer, L. and Francis, B. (August 2005) "Negotiating the dichotomy of Boffin and Triad: British-Chinese pupils' constructions of 'laddism'", The Sociological Review, Volume 53, Issue 3, Page 495.
• Parker, D and Song M (2007) Inclusion, Participation and the Emergence of British Chinese Websites. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies Vol 33 (7) : 1043-1061.
• ‘Belonging in Britain: The second generation Chinese in Britain’ Miri Song, University of Kent, England (pdf, 13 pages)
• Ethnicity, Social Capital and the Internet: British Chinese Web Sites (pdf, 57 pages)
• Gregory B. Lee, Chinas unlimited: Making the imaginaries of China and Chineseness (London, 2003). An academic study of culture and representation, including testimony from the author’s experience growing up in Liverpool.
• Diana Yeh. ‘Ethnicities on the Move: ‘British-Chinese’ art - identity, subjectivity, politics and beyond’, Critical Quarterly, Summer 2000, vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 65-91.

Articles

• BBC History Magazine, May 2007. Features an article about Chinese in Britain by Mukti Jain Campion.
• Chinatown - The Magazine, May/June 2007. Features an article about Chinese in Britain by Anna Chen.

Media coverage

• BBC - Radio 4 - Chinese in Britain In the groundbreaking ten-part series, "Chinese in Britain", broadcast by BBC Radio 4 in April/May 2007, presenter and co-writer Anna Chen told the story of the Chinese in Britain from the first known Chinese, Shen Fu Tsong in the 17th century, to the arrival of the migrant wave in the 1950s and 60s. The series was repeated in May 2008. See also: Anna Chen - Writer and performer; Producers: Culture Wise.
• BBC - Radio 4 - Beyond the Takeaway - five part series, actor and director David K. S. Tse, of the Yellow Earth Theatre Company, talks to the BBC, British-born Chinese, about their experiences of growing up and living in Britain.
• Time Out's China in London - celebrating Chinese history, communities, cuisine, and lifestyle in London
• Chinatown - The Magazine - Britain's only Chinese business and lifestyle magazine

External links

• Chinese Britain: How a second generation wants the voice of its community heard (BBC News)
• Chinese diaspora: Britain (BBC News)
• How the Chinese Came to Wales: Find out how Swansea became home to a thriving Chinese community, BBC Wales South West, written by Swansea Museum and the Chinese Co-Operative Community Centre
• "PM wishes the Chinese community a Happy New Year", 10 Downing Street, 27 January 2006
• History of Liverpool's Chinatown - Liverpool Chinatown Business Association

Communities

• LinkChinese Network UK
• British Chinese Youth Federation
• British Chinese Society
• British Born Chinese
• DimSum
• BBC One Life: Sarah Yeh
• Visible Chinese - Guide to Achievers in UK Chinese Culture
• Eight Hundred Lives: Yvonne Foley, story of a Eurasian, daughter of a Chinese father and an English mother

Old Bailey

• Chinese Communities - Old Bailey Proceedings Online, 1674 to 1913

Organisations

• Comprehensive directory of Chinese organisations including schools, associations and companies
• Society for Anglo-Chinese Understanding

Radio

• Chinese Spectrum Radio (www. Time Out is a Publishing company based in London, England. The company's best known product is the Time Out weekly listings Magazine The Swansea Museum in Swansea, Wales, UK is the oldest Museum in Wales. The Central Criminal Court in England, commonly known as the Old Bailey, is a court 558. net) - only programme in the UK broadcasting daily in Cantonese.

Statistics

• UK Census 2001: Ethnic minority statistics (Office for National Statistics, ONS)
• Focus on Ethnicity and Religion Source, ONS

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