The number of Chinese citizens leaving the country has remained high as the emigrants are exploring new countries to make them their new homes. Thailand, Japan, Vietnam, Singapore, Mexico, and New Zealand are some of these countries besides all-time favourite US. Not just intellectuals, dissenters and the rich but average-income persons also have been fleeing China. Reasons: the crackdowns on businesses, the roiling political climate, the rising cost of living, the slowing economy and high unemployment. However, it has become more evident under President Xi Jinping’s regime.

For the Chinese people trying to enter the US illegally, Mexico had been a preferred route for many years. However, Mexico has now become a destination for many. The number of temporary residency visas issued to Chinese emigrants by Mexico doubled in 2023 in a year. Fifty-year-old Tan settled in Mexico to enjoy freedom as he did not like the repressive atmosphere in China. “I can feel the political regression, the retreat of freedom and democracy. The implications of that truly make people feel twisted and sick. So, life is very painful,” he said.

South Asian countries like Thailand and Indonesia are being preferred by Chinese people to settle. The reason is the expensive and competitive education system and depressed job market. Education consultant Jenson Zhang said “Southeast Asia, it’s within reach, the visa is convenient and the overall environment, as well as people’s attitude towards Chinese people, it allows Chinese parents to feel more secure.” Japan and Singapore are other nations where Chinese students send their children to study.

Armonio Liang from Chengdu moved to Indonesia as his startup and cryptocurrency app faced restrictions from the Chinese government and he was harassed by police. “In Chengdu, everyone is so stressed. If I smiled at a stranger, they would think I am an idiot,” he said. Liang is among the middle-class Chinese citizens who strive hard to become prosperous. A Chinese man named Cong took a challenging trek via Panama as he felt depressed in China due to the lack of freedom. "When I came out, I decided it's going to be worth it, even if I die on the way. I want freedom," he said.

Japan has emerged as a cheaper and closer alternative to the US, Canada and the UK. The weak Yen has made buying homes for Chinese emigrants easy. Worries about the security of wealth in China is a major driver, said Q. Edward Wang, a professor at University in Glassboro. "If you are just going to Japan to preserve your money then definitely you will enjoy your time in Japan," he said. China has already lost 155 billionaires due to economic slowdown, as per Hurun Research Institute, a China-based research firm.  

In 2023, 13,800 Chinese millionaires emigrated to other countries. This year, it is expected to increase to around 15,200 in 2024, according to the Henley Private Wealth Migration Report. The property crisis in China has caused their wealth to shrink. Their preferred choice to get settled are Japan, the UAE, and Singapore. The exodus of the superrich is a fallout of Xi’s strict regulations, said Guonan Ma, a senior fellow at Asia Society Policy Institute. “The crackdown might have scared off some local private entrepreneurs who may wish to seek safer harbours away from home," he said.

Moreover, the diminishing opportunities for wealth generation and corruption in the bureaucracy are to be blamed, said Junhua Zhang, senior associate at the Brussels-based European Institute for Asian Studies. “President Xi Jinping is unfortunately an incompetent leader when it comes to the economy. For wealthy people, if they cannot generate more wealth in the country, then the only solution is to change their location,” he said.

Intellectuals, artists and human rights activists are leaving China due to harassment by the Chinese authorities. Under Xi, China has switched from the era of money-making and economic freedom to strict political control. It did not even spare famous Chinese business magnate and philanthropist Jack Ma. “The arbitrary punishment being meted out to the wealthy class is unlike anything we have seen since the 1990s. This has prompted many in that class to think about diversifying out of China,” said Victor Shih, a professor of China’s political economy at the University of California San Diego.“