Chinese immigration law and policy: perspectives of lawmakers, administrators and immigrants

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Björn Ahl
• Subject Area: Asian Studies ; Social and Cultural Anthropology and Ethnology
• Term: from 2014 to 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 258454708

This project is a sub-project of Immigration and the collaborative project Transformation of Chinese Society that will contribute to the research question cluster of Perception, Reception and Policy-making. After a decade of debate, a new national exit-entry law was adopted in 2012, replacing a regulatory framework that dated back to the mid-1980s. This project investigates the social dynamics and outcomes of the implementation of the new exit-entry law by focussing on the actions of state and non-state actors, including legislators, administrators and immigrants. The project will address the following questions: How do state actors, such as State Council ministries or governments of megacities such as Guangzhou, position themselves with regard to immigration and the integration of foreigners? How do public and policy discourses on legal reform and on the implementation of the law take into account demographic challenges, economic development and public security concerns? How does formal law enforcement relate to informal practices or the collusion between local officials and regular and irregular immigrants? Which institutions represent interests of immigrants and how do they assist foreigners in securing their stay? How do residence, socio-economic position and differential implementation of regulation connect? The project will focus on two sites: Beijing where the national legislator is located, and Guangzhou as a centre of commerce and foreign immigration. In terms of foreign population, the presence of African immigrants has raised considerable debate in public and policy circles. Besides their conspicuous distinctiveness in appearance and culture, African immigrants have attracted attention as a result of collective protest actions in response to police mistreatment. With the new national exit-entry law in place, the local administration faces the challenge of implementing the new policy of Promote the High-end, Limit the Normal, Ban the Low-end that disqualifies many commercially oriented immigrants who lack the required educational or professional qualifications. In order to integrate the perspectives of legislators, administrators and immigrants, the project pursues an interdisciplinary approach. It draws on theoretical and methodological approaches from legal studies and anthropology. The perspectives of national legislators will be investigated via document analysis and expert interviews with ministries, party organs, universities and think tanks. Research on the implementation of the national law and related policies in Guangzhou will entail an update of qualitative and quantitative data that has been previously collected as well as interviews with local government institutions. The immigrant perspective will be studied through ethnographic research of migrants from different national backgrounds (West African, European) and of institutions representing immigrant interests.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: China
• Participating Persons: Professor Dr. Zhigang Li; Professorin Dr. Michaela Pelican