Skip to navigation – Site map

HomeIssues134ArticlesReciprocity and Mediation Between...

Articles

Reciprocity and Mediation Between the State and Society: An Overview of Chinese Business Associations in Chile

Jorge Moraga, Alejandro Garcés, Adrián Saavedra, Rodrigo Manríquez and Qingjun Wu
p. 57-66

Abstract

This article analyses present-day Chinese business associations in Chile in terms of their different territorial origins and types of membership, how leadership is created, and how the associations relate to the Chinese and Chilean states and their respective societies. We propose that (1) new forms of cohesion are putting tension on traditional connections between territorial relationships and areas of origin; (2) monetary and symbolic debts connect individuals and institutions, creating and legitimising leaders; and (3) Chinese business associations in Chile develop mechanisms for mediating the interests of their members, Chinese state policies, and accommodation within the Chilean social and political structure.

Top of page

Editor’s notes

Manuscript received on 2 June 2022. Accepted on 23 November 2022.

Excerpt

Full text document will be published online on September 2024.

Outline

Introduction
Small entrepreneur policies and the creation of business associations
Chinese business associations in Chile
The new Chinese state-capital associations
Conclusions

First lines

Introduction

China has become Chile’s leading trade partner, taking the place that traditionally belonged to the United States. In the capital city of Santiago, Chinese immigrants and their goods are concentrated in the Unión Latinoamericana neighbourhood, an old business district located next to the city’s main train station. Their presence has transformed the social relationships and public space in the area (Chan, Ramírez, and Stefoni 2019: 1456; Chan 2021: 106), now a major goods distribution hub for Chile’s central zone.

While the Chinese represent only 5% of all immigrants in Chile, their numbers have grown significantly in the past two decades. The 2002 census registered only 1,653 Chinese immigrants with permanent residency compared to 13,533 in 2020. While there are no statistics on their regional origins, onsite research suggests two main areas: Guangdong and Zhejiang Provinces (Moraga 2018: 133). The “old migration” of primarily Cantonese immigrants who ran Chinese restaura...

Top of page

References

Bibliographical reference

Jorge Moraga, Alejandro Garcés, Adrián Saavedra, Rodrigo Manríquez and Qingjun Wu, Reciprocity and Mediation Between the State and Society: An Overview of Chinese Business Associations in ChileChina Perspectives, 134 | 2023, 57-66.

Electronic reference

Jorge Moraga, Alejandro Garcés, Adrián Saavedra, Rodrigo Manríquez and Qingjun Wu, Reciprocity and Mediation Between the State and Society: An Overview of Chinese Business Associations in ChileChina Perspectives [Online], 134 | 2023, Online since 01 September 2024, connection on 06 December 2023. URL: http://journals.openedition.org/chinaperspectives/15840; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4000/chinaperspectives.15840

Top of page

About the authors

Jorge Moraga

Jorge Moraga is an anthropologist and a faculty member at Universidad Central de Chile, Faculty of Law and Humanities. Lord Cochrane 417, Santiago, 8330507, Chile (jorge.moraga@ucentral.cl).

Alejandro Garcés

Alejandro Garcés is an anthropologist and a faculty member at Universidad Católica del Norte, Archaeological Research Institute and Museum. Camino del Inca S/N, Antofagasta, San Pedro de Atacama, Chile (ajgarces@gmail.com).

Adrián Saavedra

Adrián Saavedra is an anthropologist and a postgraduate student at Institut des hautes études de l'Amérique latine (Institute of advanced studies on Latin America), Sorbonne Nouvelle-Paris 3 University. Campus Condorcet, Bâtiment de recherche sud 5, cours des Humanités 93322, Aubervilliers, France (adriansaavedra@live.cl).

Rodrigo Manríquez

Rodrigo Manríquez is a journalist, researcher and collaborator in Fondecyt Proyect 1230734 in Universidad Central de Chile. Lord Cochrane 417, Santiago, 8330507, Chile (rodrigojaviermanriquezsanchez@gmail.com).

Qingjun Wu

Qingjun Wu is a political scientist and a faculty member at Jinan University, School of International Studies/Academy of Overseas Chinese Studies. No. 601, Huangpu Avenue West, Guangzhou, 510632, China (victorwu1105@gmail.com).

Top of page

Copyright

The text and other elements (illustrations, imported files) are “All rights reserved”, unless otherwise stated.

Top of page
Search OpenEdition Search

You will be redirected to OpenEdition Search