Migration from China to Burma

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Description: "Waves of Chinese immigrants are changing the way of life—and the face—of Mandalay... I was riding in a taxi on the Mandalay-Sagaing highway, returning home on a familiar road still pockmarked with gaping holes and throwing up swirls of dust. Many people walked along the road, others pedaled bicycles and trishaws while others rode motorcycles or buses, everyone trying to escape the baking, midday sun. Having been away for three years, I felt that nothing had changed in Mandalay, which I still thought of as a city of bicycles. However, I soon realized that this once culturally conservative city is now a hub for energetic Chinese businessmen and their commercial goods. People told me the Chinese were friendlier now and that more Burmese were studying Chinese. Chinese businesspeople apparently control, or have strong interests in, building materials, clothing, household items, plastics, electronics, motorcycles, spare parts and gold. They also operate many restaurants and new hotels and guesthouses..."
Creator/author: Aye Lae
Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy" Vol. 16, No. 2
2008-02-00
Date of entry/update: 2008-04-27
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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