【英语中国】非法移民──中国廉价劳动力的新来源

With wage hikes and labor protests across China, some reports have begun declaring that we're witnessing the 'end of cheap Chinese labor.'

But while rising wages will probably push some companies to look for cheaper labor in places like Vietnam or Cambodia, they may not have to go all the way there to get it. Often overlooked, tens of thousands of illegal immigrants are pouring into China from Vietnam, North Korea, and parts of Africa each year seeking work.

No one seems to know exactly how many illegal immigrants are entering China, mainly by crossing its vast southern border, but the number appears to be growing. Over 10,000 illegal immigrants live in Guangxi's Chongzuo City alone, according to an English-language report on the website of the People's Daily.

The immigrants, almost all from countries poorer than China, are a favorite with factory bosses and farm owners because they ask for a fraction of the usual Chinese wages and are seen as hard workers, say Chinese media reports. 'They normally would work eight hours a day for an entire month without a day off,' the Global Times quoted one boss as saying.

The Chinese government is ill-equipped to deal with illegal immigration on the current scale and is only now in the process of drafting its first immigration law. Part of the problem is simply that China is a massive country with much of its border unpatrolled. But it may also be that the government is reluctant to make decisions that are bad for business, especially without strong public support.

Besides the government, there doesn't seem to be much social pressure for the illegal immigrants to leave China. China has seen no American-style anti-immigrant sentiment emerge. Indeed, judging by Chinese media and online outlets, the Chinese public has been largely mum on the issue. Many Chinese are simply unaware of the scope of immigration as most migrants don't get too far from the southern border.

While some articles in the official media denounce illegal immigration, comments from the public mostly have a different point of view. 'Asian immigrants, no problem, welcome to China!' begins one reader's post. Many Chinese comments about immigration reflect pride that China's economic growth is inspiring other Asians to come live the 'Chinese Dream.' Additionally, concerns about an aging Han workforce may dispel nationalist anger at young Vietnamese taking farming jobs in China.

That's not to say Chinese hospitality extends to everyone. Public reaction is far more negative about the rising tide of African immigrants, reflecting pervasive anti-black racism in China . 'Vietnamese ok. But black people?-forget it,' reads one comment in Chinese on a forum about immigration. Others make outright racist remarks and accuse black immigrants of contributing to crime.

It is still early in the saga of Chinese immigration, and views on all sides are likely to change as the unregulated influx of workers continues. How long before we hear calls for a second Great Wall of China?

随着中国各地工资的上涨和劳工抗议活动的发生，一些报导开始宣称我们正在见证“中国廉价劳动力的终结”。

不过，尽管工资上涨或许将促使一些企业到越南或柬埔寨等国家寻求更廉价的劳动力，他们却可能不必到那么远的地方去找。常常被人所忽视的是，每年有数万名非法移民从越南、朝鲜和非洲一些国家涌入中国寻找工作机会。

AFP/Getty Images福州的服装厂工人。似乎没有人确切知道有多少非法移民在进入中国（主要是通过跨越中国南部长长的边境线），不过人数看起来在增加。据人民网上的一篇英文报导说，仅仅在广西崇左市，就住着一万多名非法移民。

中国媒体报导说，这些移民几乎全部来自比中国更贫困的国家，他们很受工厂老板和农场场主的喜爱，因为他们提出的工资只相当于普通中国工人工资的一小部分，而且吃苦耐劳。《环球时报》援引一位老板的话报导说，他们通常每天工作八小时，连续一整月，一天都不休息。

中国政府在应对现有规模的非法移民问题上手段有限，只是现在才开始起草首部移民法。原因之一仅仅是因为中国是一个幅员辽阔的国家，大部分边境都没有人员进行巡逻。不过，这也可能是因为政府不愿做出对企业不利的决定，特别是在缺乏公众强烈支持的情况下。

除政府外，看起来没有太多的社会压力迫使非法移民离开中国。中国没有美国式的反移民思潮的出现。实际上，根据中国媒体和网络媒体机构来判断，中国公众在非法移民问题上基本上保持缄默。很多中国人只是不知道非法移民的规模有多大，因为大部分移民不会到距离南部边境太远的地方去。

尽管官方媒体上的一些文章对非法移民进行了谴责，公众舆论却大多持不同意见。一位读者的贴子一上来就说，亚洲移民，没问题，欢迎来中国！很多有关移民问题的中文评论反映出国人的自豪感，他们感觉中国的经济增长激励亚洲其他国家的人来中国追求“中国梦”。此外，汉族就业人口的老龄化令人担忧，这可能会驱散对在中国从事农业生产的年轻越南人的民族主义怒火。

这并不是说中国的敌意是冲着每个人的。公众对非洲移民大量涌入的反应要负面的多，反映出中国普遍的反黑人种族主义。一移民网站上的一条中文评论中说，越南人OK，但黑人？还是算了吧。其他人发表了直白的种族主义言论，指责黑人移民助长了犯罪。

中国移民的漫长道路才刚刚开始，随着非法劳工涌入的持续，各方的看法很可能会改变。多久之后我们会听到修建第二条长城的呼声？