Facts and Figures

IOM Observer since 2001 Capital: Beijing Population (2011): 1347.6 million Area: 9,596,961 sq km Language: Mandarin Chinese Currency: Yuan or Yuan Renminbi (CNY) GDP per Capita PPP (2010): USD 7,599 HDI Rank (2011): 101 of 187 Remittances (2011 estimate): USD 57,282 million Net Migration Rate (2010-2015): -0.2 migrants / 1,000 population Immigrants (2010): 0.1% Women as a Percentage of Immigrants (2010): 50.0% Population under 15 (2011): 19.1% Adult HIV Prevalence (2009): 0.1%

Additional Resources International Migration Law Database National Instruments: China Hong Kong SAR, Macao SAR Sources and Definitions

Latest News

• IOM Works with China to Strengthen Border Management, Protect Trafficking Victims
• IOM, China Launch Next Phase of Landmark Capacity Building Project
• IOM and Macao Social Welfare Bureau Sign Agreement to Protect Returning Trafficking Victims
• IOM and China Work to Protect, Assist Victims of Trafficking
• IOM, China Improve Support to Victims of Human Trafficking

Overview

The People's Republic of China (PRC) has more people traveling overseas now than at any other moment in history. With the opening up of its economy over the past three decades, China has become not only a source country, but also an attractive transit and destination country for migrants from all over the world.

In 2010, an estimated 800,000 Chinese workers were employed overseas. Top destination countries for overseas Chinese migrants include the United States, Canada, Japan and Singapore. As of last year, the World Bank estimated that China is currently the second largest recipient of migrant remittances in the world.

At the same time, increasing numbers of foreigners are choosing to travel to China. According to the latest 2010 Census figures, 593, 832 foreigners - mainly from the Republic of Korea, the United States and Japan – are residing in the country.

In addition to cross border movements of people, China is also experiencing the largest internal migration movement in the world with approximately 211 million migrants – roughly equal to the population of Indonesia – moving from rural areas to the country’s growing cities.

Responding to an increasingly mobile population, the government of the PRC is currently developing and strengthening its border management and labour migration policy responses. It is also taking action to promote regular migration and prevent irregular migratory movements and associated activities such as people smuggling and human trafficking.

Since 2007, when the IOM Liaison Office in China officially opened in Beijing, IOM has supported the government’s efforts through small-scale targeted technical assistance activities in the area of migration management. Over the past four years, there has been significant progress made in further developing the IOM-China bilateral relationship, including three visits by IOM Director Generals, who have met with senior Chinese government officials up to the Minister level. The Liaison Office’s main Chinese government partner is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which coordinates IOM’s cooperation with other Ministries.

The IOM Liaison Office in China is gradually working towards diversifying its programmatic areas beyond migration management to other areas, including counter-trafficking. The Office is also part of the United Nations Joint Programme on HIV/AIDS Core Management Team in China, as well as the United Nations Gender Theme Group in China.

Regulating Migration

IOM’s Capacity Building for Migration Management in China project (CBMM China) is a broad cooperation project designed to strengthen the development of Europe-China cooperation and exchange on migration management issues, through the targeted exchange of personnel, expertise and information.

From 2007 to 2010, Phase I of the project reached nearly 400 senior public officials and 1.5 million potential migrants. From 2011 to 2013, CBMM China Phase II aims to build on these achievements through a combination of training workshops, overseas study tours, policy analysis and research, and information campaigns.

CBMM China Phase II is managed by IOM with the International Labour Organization (ILO) as an implementing partner. Key Chinese government partners include the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Public Security, Commerce and Civil Affairs. Principally funded by the European Commission, the €2 million project has seven European Union (EU) Member State partners, including Italy, Hungary, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Denmark, the Czech Republic and Germany. The EU border security agency Frontex also participates.

With the support of the United States Department of State Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM), IOM is also implementing various counter-trafficking activities to support China’s National Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking (2008–2012).

In partnership with the Ministry of Civil Affairs, IOM has organized targeted training activities on victim identification and shelter management for over 200 public officials and frontline shelter staff. It has also distributed 350 counter-trafficking training manuals on international standards and best practices.

Main Projects

• Capacity Building for Migration Management in China Phase I and Phase II
• Training for Chinese Government Officials on Counter-Trafficking

Hong Kong SAR

China resumed its sovereignty over Hong Kong on 1 July 1997 when it became the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People's Republic of China. Hong Kong is governed by the Hong Kong SAR Basic Law under which it is permitted to maintain its current system of government, immigration control, among other features of governance, for 50 years.

In order to combat human trafficking, Hong Kong SAR implemented the law on Trafficking in Persons to or from Hong Kong, Exploitation of Persons for Sexual Purposes in 1998.

IOM's office in Hong Kong has been operational since February 1952.

Movement, Emergency and Post-conflict Migration Management

IOM Hong Kong provides transit assistance to passengers traveling under IOM auspices, and makes travel arrangements for individual immigrants when requested.

Main Projects

• National Migration from Hong Kong to Australia
• Contribution and Support to China's Response to the 2008 Wenzhou Sichuan Earthquake

Facilitating Migration

IOM assists US-bound immigrants from Hong Kong and provides them with cultural orientation seminars.

Main Project

• Immigrant Visa Application Assistance

Macao SAR

China resumed its sovereignty over Macao on 20 December 1999 when it became the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People's Republic of China. As in the case of Hong Kong, Macao is governed by a SAR Basic Law under which it is also allowed to maintain its current system of government, immigration control, among others features of governance, for 50 years.

In order to strengthen its response to human trafficking, Macao established a Human Trafficking Deterrent Measures Concern Committee on 30 August 2007. The related law on Combating Human Trafficking came into force in 2008.

In 2009 IOM was invited to give a training workshop on “Trafficking Victim Identification” to police, immigration officers and social workers to improve their knowledge of human trafficking and to enhance victim protection in the SAR.

Last updated:
Main text: June 2011
Facts and figures: May 2012