ABSTRACT
Two geographically and socially distant urban areas have been extensively modified in recent years by a flow of migrants from the Chinese province of Zhejiang. The first area, described at length by Xiang Biao, is located in the southwestern suburbs of Beijing where a large community of migrants have earned the place the name of "Zhejiang Village". The second area is the Chinese community in the Florence region in Italy, where a flourishing leather industry attracts thousands of Chinese, whose self-organization recalls that of Zhejiang village in Beijing. While Chinese authorities generally credit Wenzhou's economic success to the post-Mao reform policies, historical, economic and geographical conditions have also contributed to the phenomenal development of Wenzhou. The Wenzhou economy is boosted by migrant remittances, and Wenzhou is the hub of several national and international trade and business networks. The analysis presented suggests that the two communities are different expressions of a common migration strategy.
