Chinese British are overseas Chinese born or naturalised in the United Kingdom.

At the last UK census in 2001, there were 247,403 Chinese people living in Britain - or 0.4% of the UK population. In comparison to other ethnic minorities in the UK, the Chinese are 5.3% of the minority ethnic population.

Unlike most ethnic minorities in the UK, the Chinese tend to be more widespread and decentralised. However, significant centres of Chinese-British people can be found in London, Manchester, Swansea and Cambridge.

Most of these Chinese are people from, or descended from people from, former British territories, such as Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, and New Zealand.

History

Trade between China and Britain existed as far back as Roman times, although the first permanent settlement of Chinese people dates from the early 19th century, in port towns such as London (particularly the Limehouse area) and Liverpool.

The biggest spell of Chinese immigration took place in the 1950s and 1960s, mainly of male agricultural workers from Hong Kong, in response to the post-war labour shortage. The rise in popularity of Chinese cuisine (albeit in a westernized form) in the UK led to the growth of Chinese restaurants and takeaways, and the formation of "Chinatown" areas in several major British cities.

Since the 1962 Commonwealth Immigrants Act , restrictions have been placed on immigration from British colonies and ex-colonies, and these have been tightened by successive governments. Nevertheless, there was still significant Chinese migration to Britain, for relatives of already-settled Chinese, and those qualified for skilled jobs, until the end of the 1970s. Today, a significant proportion of Chinese British people are second- and third-generation descendants of these post-war immigrants.

Demographics

Chinese-British people, like overseas Chinese in many other Western nations, are noted for academic and professional achievement. Chinese pupils gain higher marks at GCSE than any other ethnic group, and a Chinese-British person is also more likely to possess a university degree, own a house, or hold a job in the top managerial/professional class, than the average Briton. However, this success has not been reflected in 'high profile' jobs - unlike Britons of Afro-Caribbean or South Asian origin, there are exceedingly few, if any, well-known Chinese-British politicians, actors or sportspersons. But Vanessa Mae is one example of a musician.

See also

• Overseas Chinese
• List of overseas Chinese

External links

• UK Census 2001: Ethnic minority statistics
• BBC Wales: How the Chinese came to South Wales
• BBC News: Chinese Britain
• Chinese Immigration to Britain in the Post-WWII Period