Chinese immigration to Puerto Rico
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Chinese immigration to Puerto Rico began in the late 19th Century when the United States passed the "Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882".
A Chinese Puerto Rican is a person who was born, or resides, in Puerto Rico, but whose ancestors came from southern China. In some cases it can mean a person of mixed Chinese and Hispanic heritage.
Chinese were the first people to arrive in Puerto Rico by large numbers during the 19th century after The United States Congress passed the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act. This act had forbid the immigration of Chinese to the mainland United States for a period of 10 years. Many of them went to Puerto Rico to work on the island's rail systems, just like many other Chinese who emigrated to other parts of the world. Many of the Asian railroad workers in Puerto Rico decided to settle permanently and founded "El Barrio Chino" (Chinatown) in San Juan. Their children were among the first Chinese-Puerto Ricans.
Although Chinese-Puerto Ricans are small in numbers compared to Puerto Ricans of Spanish, Amerindian, or African descent, nevertheless, they form an identifiable structure of Puerto Rican society. Many are involved in operating Chinese restaurants, and others work in other sectors. Many members of Puerto Rico's Chinese minority have integrated both Hispanic and Chinese culture into their daily lives.
Some Chinese have married Puerto Ricans almost since the time that the Chinese began settling there, many of today's Chinese-Puerto Ricans actually have Hispanic last names and are of mixed Chinese and Puerto Rican descent.
It shall be noted also, that most Puerto Ricans of other races refer to all East Asians as Chinese (as is the case in other Spanish-speaking societies). Because of this, it must be clarified that in Puerto Rico, many Asians from other different countries also live there. Many Chinese also came from mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan, while other Asian groups came from Japan, Korea, other Latin American countries — especially from Cuba and nearby Dominican Republic — and even mainland United States. Some Chinese Puerto Ricans went to the mainland United States for a better way of life during the early part of the 20th Century, while many Chinese who immigrated to the mainland United States are migrating to Puerto Rico, most of which set up restaurants.
See also
- Overseas Chinese
- Overseas Chinese in Latin America
- List of famous Puerto Ricans
- Kelis, a successful entertainer of part Chinese-Puerto Rican ancestry
External links
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