With the country’s combined racial minorities set to make up a majority of the population by 2045, an awareness of the contribution of immigrant groups, including Chinese Americans, can ensure a future of cooperation, mutual appreciation and respect.

Key findings

The Chinese American community contains many different groups and cohorts, reflecting complex migration patterns, past and present. The Chinese American community today is present across all states in the US, with members ranging from first-generation immigrants to sixth-generation descendants, and representing great socioeconomic diversity. While the majority of Chinese Americans aged older than 25 have a bachelor’s degree or above—compared with a third of general Americans in the same age cohort—20% of Chinese Americans aged five and older still do not speak proficient English, double the share among Americans in general. Although the community overall has an income level above the national average, roughly one in ten households earns less than US$15,000 per year and 35% have incomes below the national median.

Chinese Americans have contributed extensively to the US economy, from building transport and agricultural infrastructure in the 19th century to helping the nation secure its leadership in the Space Race in the 20th century and the high-tech industries today. Their involvement in the US economy spans small businesses in essential services such as food and laundry, and in technical professions including medicine, education and engineering. Overall, Chinese Americans make a significant economic contribution in terms of GDP generation, job creation and capital market growth. They contributed over US$300bn to US GDP in 2019 through consumer spending, supporting 3m jobs. There are over 160,000 Chinese American-owned businesses in the US, generating approximately US$240bn in revenue and supporting 1.3m jobs as of 2017.

Chinese Americans have come to play a greater role in public and institutional life. Their pursuit of civil rights and judicial justice in the 1800s established many landmark legal precedents that would significantly shape American democracy. As their political rights have strengthened, Chinese Americans have also played a more active role in civil service and political activities. Between 2009 and 2018, Chinese Americans’ employment in public administration grew by 68%, outpacing the growth of the Chinese American population and of the public administration workforce as a whole. Chinese Americans have also played an important role in US national defense, from military enrollment to scientific and professional contributions to defense and security agencies.

Chinese Americans are an influential force within US society and culture. Their contributions range from popular dishes in the national cuisine to creative works in photography, cinema and fashion, gathering more mainstream prominence in recent decades. Chinese Americans have also helped to forge social support structures through active involvement in non-profits, volunteering and philanthropy, as well as making important contributions to public health and social well-being. Since March 2020, more than 690 Chinese American grassroots organizations have raised over US$18m and delivered millions of items of personal protective equipment (PPE) and meals to hospitals, nursing homes, police departments and other agencies in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.