With the economic rise of the People’s Republic of China, a range of Chinese political actors at different levels have intensified their ties with compatriots abroad (overseas Chinese), recognizing them as key actors in the expansion of global commercial networks. However, Chinese migration overseas predates this phenomenon. Aiming to explore the spaces of interaction that have shaped contemporary relationships and identities, this study seeks to examine and highlight the main “local Chinese commercial zones”—understood as clusters of businesses owned by Chinese immigrants—that have developed in Lima, Peru. The research investigates the heterogeneity of the Chinese diaspora and migratory trajectories, which in turn influence certain characteristics of areas in downtown Lima and the district of San Borja. The Peruvian case—home to the largest number of Chinese migrants and their descendants in Latin America—serves as a basis for comparison with experiences in other countries in the region, particularly with regard to the integration of Chinese immigrants into the local commercial sphere and the dynamics of competition among different diaspora groups, which ultimately shape and define these spaces.
> Academic Article
Places of Origin and the Development of Local Chinese Commercial Zones in Lima, Peru
Lau. N. (2025) Places of Origin and the Development of Local Chinese Commercial Zones in Lima, Peru. 43. https://www.revistas.usach.cl/ojs/index.php/ideas/article/view/7795
