ABSTRACT
How many Asian communities exist and how many thousands (or millions) of inhabitants are of Asian ethnic origin in today's Latin America? This is a difficult, or, some would say, impossible question to answer. Before entering into more details in the analysis of figures and single countries, some general points have to be made. Immigration does matter, and not simply under a political, cultural or social point of view. It is also known that a diaspora can shape a country's economy in many ways. For example, it affects
trade and investment flows of the home country's economy, as can easily be seen with many trade or commerce diasporas. Second, it could affect the balance of payments of the home country through fund transfers between overseas settlers and their remaining families and relatives in the home country. Third, it could affect the home country's human resources and labour market.
(Choi, 2005:56)