Africans in China: A Sociocultural Study and Its Implications on ...

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCING AFRICANS IN CHINA

1.1. Introduction

The most important question to which I seek answers in writing this book is, What is it like to be an African in China? All other questions, hypotheses, and research puzzles are geared toward addressing this major theme of understanding the everyday lives of Africans in China. This book describes and analyzes African migration into China in the 21st century and examines the formation of communities and a Diaspora in this part of Asia. To answer the primary question, the study poses and answers a subset of questions: Why are Africans beginning to go to China in substantially large numbers, a trend previously unseen before the 21st century? How many Africans are there in China? In which parts of China are most of them located? What do they do there? How do they interact with one another and with their Chinese hosts, including Chinese people and the Chinese state? Ultimately, how different are African Diaspora experiences in China from African experiences in other Diasporas, such