ABSTRACT
China, once an isolated socialist country, is now the largest new “world factory” which sells products labeled “Made in China” throughout the world. After three decades of market reform and an open door policy, China has successfully embraced the global economy, especially after its entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001. The effects of China’s globalization include an unprecedented amount of imports and exports and an influx of foreign migrants. For instance, the total import and export quota of China has increased from just $115.4 billion in 1990 to $1,760.6 billion in 2006 (China Statistical Bureau, 2007), which ranked second in the world after Germany. Meanwhile, foreign direct investment (FDI) has poured into China. Between 2000 and 2006, the total amount of China’s FDI amounted to $377.7 billion (China Statistical Bureau, 2007). At the same time, the number of foreign visitors has surged. Between 2000 and 2006, for instance, visitors to China numbered 94.39 million, with the majority coming from Japan, South Korea, Russia, and the United States (China Statistical Bureau, 2007). Some traders and businessmen have become long-term residents. In 2008, for instance, Shanghai registered 152,104 long-term resident foreigners and issued 604 permanent residence cards (Shanghai Statistical Bureau, 2007).
