By the end of 2005, the number of Chinese Communist Party (CCP) cadres’ spouses and children who resettled overseas, including in Hong Kong and Macau, had reached more than 1,187,700.
Families of CCP Cadres That Settle Overseas
In the second half of February, the Organization Department of the CCP Central Committee (CCPCC) and the Ministry of Public Security issued a report to the CCPCC and the State Council regarding families of cadres who had settled overseas, including in Hong Kong and Macau. The report with the written instructions by the CCPCC and the State Council was transmitted to provincial, departmental and divisional level in March.
The report indicates that by the end of 2005 there had been more than 1,187,700 people who were spouses and children of CCP cadres that settled in overseas areas, including Hong Kong and Macau. Among them, there were more than 200,750 people who were spouses and children of senior level cadres. In addition, there were more than 153,000 spouses and children of cadres doing business overseas including in Hong Kong and Macau. There were also more than 138,300 spouses and children of cadres studying or taking training courses overseas.
The Impact of Emigration on Children of CCP Cadres
The report also indicates that the spouses and children of the CCP cadres are living in luxury and corrupt lifestyles overseas. They generally have bad local reputations and they damage the image of China overseas.
The report suggests that, in additional to reinforcing education to the overseas settlers, there should be regulations being enforced on the overseas settlement for the senior cadres’ spouses and children.
Immigration Information about Families of CCP Cadres in Recent Years
Between 1985 and 1990, 233,000 people [spouses and children of CCP cadres] emigrated; between 1991 and 1998, 565,000 people emigrated; between 1999 and 2005, 389,000 people emigrated.
The following survey shows statistical highlights of the emigration to Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Macau and overseas regions from 1985 to 2005.
Hong Kong, there were 193,000 people (43,500 immigration cases); Macau, 25,000 people (8,400 cases); U.S., 19,500 (26,000 cases); Europe (West Europe), 164,000 people (20,000 cases); Nordic, 203,000 people (6,000 cases); Australia, 230,000 (35,000 cases); New Zealand, 29,000 people (2,000 cases); Canada, 225,000 people (54,000 cases); South East Asia (Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand), 110,000 people (2,800 cases).
Information on Emigrating Members of CCP Cadres Doing Business Overseas
More than 1 million spouses and children of CCP cadres live overseas including in Hong Kong and Macau. Among them there are between 120,000 and 150,000 people who engage in the import and export trade with China. The total volume of trade has reached between US$85 billion and US$120 billion.
More than 200,000 family members of CCP senior cadres own assets worth US$600 billion or more.
Editorial Note:
Immigration and Refugee Movement
Immigration is a common phenomenon throughout the world. China is no exception. But there’s a very distinct “Chinese characteristic” to the immigration movement of families of CCP cadres that started in the late 80s of last century.
First of all, corrupt officials consider their families as an important part of their corrupt life. They do what they can to transfer their illegal gotten money to overseas accounts. They then move their families overseas and settle there. Later they themselves look for opportunities to escape the country.
In addition, there are some officials who feel that the CCP will collapse soon and their days are numbered. In order to leave themselves a way out, they arrange for their families to emigrate overseas first. Although these people are not truly refugees, they are refugee who abandon ship –the Ship of Communism, to seek refugee with their enemies–the countries that allow “bourgeois liberalization.”
