ABSTRACT
The post-war development of China's international migrations, oscillating wildly as it does in numbers, and shifting in the origins of its immigrants and destinations of its emigrants, almost beggars belief. The recent migrations of Chinese people to Western Europe were not the first. There already existed in most countries a small but relatively successful community of Chinese people working in family businesses in retailing, catering and personal services. The Chinese have a significant presence in the countries of Eastern Europe, and above all, in Russia, where they form an important part of the Eurasian migration system. Migration processes tend to build slowly and decline slowly. This is because of the way in which social networks tend to operate. Pioneer migrants send back information to their friends and relatives, and, if the message is positive, this encourages others to follow in their footsteps.
