Mexico: Treatment of the ethnic Chinese minority; protection available for Mexicans of Chinese ethnicity targeted by crime (2005 - January 2008)
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa |
| Publication Date | 12 February 2008 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | MEX102721.FE |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Mexico: Treatment of the ethnic Chinese minority; protection available for Mexicans of Chinese ethnicity targeted by crime (2005 - January 2008), 12 February 2008, MEX102721.FE, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/4804c0e523.html [accessed 8 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
In a telephone interview with the Research Directorate, a doctor of Sociology at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, UNAM) who is a member of UNAM's China-Mexico research centre (Centro de Estudios China-México) stated that the situation of the Chinese minority in Mexico "is not an issue" (Doctor of Sociology 28 Jan. 2008). According to an American Spanish-language daily newspaper, the Chinese community in Mexico has overcome the difficulties related to racism (La Opinión Digital 6 Aug. 2007). In the past, Chinese living along Mexico's northern border were subjected to discriminatory policies, but the situation has apparently changed completely (Doctor of Sociology 28 Jan. 2008). According to the Doctor of Sociology from UNAM, no research has been conducted on the subject recently because the situation of the Chinese minority is no different from that of Mexicans in general (Doctor of Sociology 28 Jan. 2008).
In an article from the daily newspaper La Jornada, however, the Secretary-General (secretario general) of the Federation of Unions of Guanajuato (Féderación de Sindicatos de Guanajuato) is quoted as saying that workers of Chinese nationality in factories (maquiladoras) in Guanajuato are subjected to more mistreatment than the Mexican workers (La Jornada 25 Feb. 2006). Because many Chinese workers cannot tolerate the working conditions, they escape and can then receive assistance from a local non-governmental organization and from the Federation of Unions of Guanajuato (ibid.). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.
Information on protection available specifically to Mexicans of Chinese ethnicity targeted by crime could not be found among the sources consulted.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Associated Press (AP). 10 September 2007. "Mexican President Calderon Says Crackdown Against Drug Cartels to Continue." (Factiva)
_____. 19 July 2007. Michael Rubinkam. "Mexico Probing Whether Agents Protected Businessman Tied to World's Largest Drug Cash Seizure." (Factiva)
Doctor of Sociology, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM). 28 January 2008. Telephone interview.
La Jornada. 25 February 2006. Carolina Gómez Mena. "En condiciones de esclavitud, cientos de trabajadores chinos en México."
La Opinión Digital [Los Angeles]. 6 August 2007. Gardenia Mendoza Aguilar. "El reto de ser chino en México."
Additional Sources Consulted
Internet sites, including: Amnistía Internacional México, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), chinaculture.org, Colectivo por la Seguridad con Democracia y Derechos Humanos, Ethnic and Racial Studies, Harvard Latino Law Review, Human Rights Watch (HRW), Informaworld.com, Mexican Studies, negociosmexicochina.com, United States Department of State.
Oral sources: Some other members of UNAM's Centro de Estudios China-México did not respond to a request for information within the time constraints for this Response.
