‘Climbing up a new ladder’—drivers and aspirations of Chinese new migrants in Ghana

ABSTRACT

The rapid growth of Chinese migrants in Africa since the 1990s has sparked much academic research and debate. Drawing on qualitative data gathered between 2016-2019, this article aims to examine the relationships between the experiences of Chinese new migrants in Ghana and social changes in reform-era China. China’s state-led institutional reforms and market transition have significantly altered the social stratification order, opportunity structure, and individuals’ life chances. The macro-level drivers for new Chinese emigration to Africa can be attributed to two simultaneous processes: the political-economic expansion of China in the global economy versus uneven development and rising inequalities within China. Beyond the economic rewards, Africa offers a space for the new migrants to achieve upward mobility in the class hierarchy and flexibly shift their identity, which can be likened to an easier “ladder’ to climb up. This article contributes to the literature on migration drivers, diaspora-homeland relations, and contemporary migration in the Global South.

KEYWORDS:

• China
• Ghana
• Africa
• Migration Drivers
• Social Change

Ethical Approval

This research is approved by the Institutional Review Board at Syracuse University (#16–184)

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 The “Big market” refers to the Makola market, the biggest retail market in central Accra.

2 Wu, sales representative, 38; 29 June 2016, Accra

3 Chun, Wig trader, male, 42; 28 July 2018, Accra

4 Hong, Senior engineer at a provincial real estate development SOE, 36; 12 June 2019, Accra

5 Xia, Doctor, and owner of a clinic, male, 47; 8 July 2016, Accra

6 Ming, chef at a Chinese restaurant, 29; 30 June 2016; Accra

7 Jia, project manager at a private telecommunication company, 37; 12 August 2018, Accra

8 Party (the Chinese Communist Party, CCP) Membership is an important determinant of one’s income, access to “inside the system” employment, and Hukou status change. For more detailed discussions, see Lu 2008; McLaughlin 2017; Wu 2006; Wu and Xie 2003.

9 Lei, financial manager at a central SOE in energy, 32; 20 July 2016, Accra

10 Meng, an engineer at a central SOE, 28, 1 May 2020, online interview.

11 Wang, entrepreneur, 52, 10 July 2018, Accra

12 Wen, owner of a Chinese clinic, 45, 2 July 2016, Accra

13 Hai, sales representative, 36, 7 June 2018, Accra

14 Bin, SOE manager, 41, 2 May 2020, online interview

15 The household registration system (hukou) labels the population as “agricultural” and “nonagricultural”. One’s hukou status determines access to good (especially state-sector) jobs, labor market outcomes, education of offspring, housing, health care, and other public welfare. For more detailed discussions, see Lu 2008; Wu and Treiman 2004; Zhang 2011.

16 Yi, technician, 27, 10 August 2019, Ho

17 Ibid

18 Ibid

19 By the median exchange rate in 2011, 40000 RMB was equivalent to around 6000 USD or 9500 Ghanaian Cedi.

20 Dong, owner of laundries, 62, 11 July 2019, Tema.

21 Tong, ceramic trader, 40, 17 June 2018; Tema

22 Jin, business representative, 27, 19 July 2019, Accra

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Goekjian/East Asia Program Research Grant, Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs, Syracuse University (2020); Dissertation Fellowship for Summer Research, Department of Sociology, Syracuse University (2020).