The Social Integration and Transformation of New Chinese Immigrant Communities and Overseas Chinese Entrepreneurs: An Empirical Study and Case Study

The issue of immigration has always held a prominent position in the social governance of nations worldwide. Today, with massive global migration and accelerated global economic integration, immigration integration has become a new challenge. Since China’s Reform and Opening Up over the past 40 years, especially in the past two decades, the number of international migrants to and from China has soared, China has been fully integrated into the world’s international immigration, casting a profound impact on the development of China and the international movement of people in other countries and regions. This presentation will discuss the multifaceted concept of "social integration," focusing on empirical research concerning Chinese business networks and the social integration of new immigrants. Through a detailed case study, we will analyze how overseas Chinese entrepreneurs actively transform their business practices in response to rapidly changing global circumstances. Drawing on the relational perspective of Relational Economic Geography and the multidimensional proximity theory of Evolutionary Geography, this talk will explore the dynamic evolving process of relational-geographical proximity patterns among overseas Chinese entrepreneurs. This study employs a multidisciplinary approach that integrates empirical research with case studies to provide a comprehensive overview of new developments among overseas Chinese communities. The presentation will highlight how these transformations shape the future of Chinese diasporic networks and their role in the global economy.

Jinghua Xing is a Professor Fellow and Deputy Director of Academic Committee & Secretary-General of the Center for Chinese Entrepreneur Studies, Tsinghua University. She is visiting scholar in University of California, Los Angeles. Her research interests in the interdisciplinary areas of migration and development, overseas Chinese entrepreneurs, overseas Chinese combining economics, society, innovation, philanthropy, business, and immigration policy. She was a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow in the Department of Philosophy and Religion of Peking University. She is a committee member of the Overseas Chinese History Society of China, Secretary General of Overseas Chinese History in the Society of Chinese Commercial History, and an expert at the think-tank Beijing Returned Overseas Chinese Federation. Dr. Xing has published papers in Ethno-National Studies, Overseas Chinese Historical Studies, International Journal of Chinese Studies, Overseas Chinese Journal of Bagui and other journals. She published the two monographs: The same moon in the sky: The Actor-Network of Overseas Chinese; Silk and Road: The Chinese Entrepreneurial Network, New Migrants, and Social Integration. She is also currently the Deputy editor of Research on Enterprise History (Series I), and Editorial Board Member of International Journal of Diasporic Chinese Studies (Singapore) and History Series of Overseas Chinese Along the Belt and Road.

 This free public lecture is part of the Global Chinese Philanthropy Research and Training Program and made possible with the support of the Cyrus Tang Foundation. This event is presented as part of UCLA's International Education Week from November 18-22, 2024.

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Duration: 01:16:16