By Giselle Alzate | 2023-10-06

BOGOTA -- The easing of post-COVID travel restrictions and an onslaught of economic challenges have led to a notable increase in undocumented migrants -- including Chinese nationals -- trying to reach the United States.

The influx of Chinese nationals seeking to reach the United States via South America stems from stringent policies enforced by President Xi Jinping in China combined with China's economic instability.

In the first six months of 2020, Panama's immigration authorities documented about 400 Chinese individuals successfully navigating the perilous terrain. Just in November of the same year, the count was at 377, and within a month, it surged to 695.

Recent statistics indicate a sustained trend: 12,979 Chinese citizens crossing into Panama from January 1 to August 31 of this year. The numbers surged from 913 in January to an alarming 2,433 Chinese individuals who successfully completed the journey in August.

The challenges faced by Chinese citizens during this perilous journey were underscored in a March article by The Guardian.

Xi's coercive policies

During an interview at a hotel in Necoclí, Colombia, Xu, a Chinese citizen, voiced his strong intent to escape what he perceives as China's deceptive and oppressive government.

"After I leave the country [China], I have no plans to go back alive," he declared.

Necoclí, a bustling tourist hub in the Colombian Caribbean, is a common embarkation point for migrants from diverse nations who undertake the perilous journey on foot across the treacherous Darién Gap.

The journey through the Darién Gap is riddled with danger, with migrants facing the daunting task of navigating the perilous jungle terrain. The region is fraught with hazards, from savage animals to swift rivers, all compounded by stifling humidity due to soaring temperatures.

Adding to the adversity, desperate migrants must also confront the looming threat of violent criminal syndicates, including Colombia's infamous El Clan del Golfo, and various rogue groups that exploit human trafficking for profit.

"Crossing this area can take up to 10 days on foot for the most vulnerable people, who are exposed to natural hazards and also to criminal groups that perpetrate violence, including sexual abuse or robbery," Giuseppe Loprete, chief of mission at the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Panama, told the Guardian.

Freed from Beijing's grip

The stringent policies enforced by Xi and the ongoing economic turbulence have disproportionately impacted both individuals employed in low-skilled positions and the younger generations.

Yin Chengxiang, a 55-year-old cook, departed China to liberate himself from the grip of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)'s authoritarian rule. Fearless in expressing his dissent against the CCP, Yin has openly stated his readiness to resist the CCP should it pose a threat to Taiwan.

"I am not afraid of them at all… We would go help Taiwan fight against the CCP if China attacks Taiwan," stated Yin in Necoclí to The Guardian. He is among the growing number of Chinese who have fled their country in recent years.

The majority of Chinese citizens embarking on the journey across the Colombian-Panamanian border usually start in China and head to Ecuador, taking advantage of Ecuador's no-visa policy.

From Ecuador, they commence their journey using various modes of transportation like buses, walking or boats, ultimately aiming for the border between Mexico and the United States.

In a bid to escape China's bleak economic circumstances, Xu, along with fellow compatriots in Colombia, readied themselves for the challenging trek on foot toward Panama. Just before embarking on this journey, they raised their voices in unison, chanting: "Knock the CCP down!"

Legal pathway

In July, the US Department of Homeland Security launched a new program aiming to provide a legal pathway for certain Central Americans and Colombians to enter the United States, thereby deterring prospective migrants from embarking on a perilous journey to cross the US southern border through unauthorized means.

This initiative permits qualified migrants from Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras to travel to the United States by air, and upon meeting specific criteria -- such as having relatives who are US citizens or legal residents with filed visa applications on their behalf -- obtain government work permits.

Authorities have leveraged their parole authority to admit a monthly quota of up to 30,000 individuals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela who have US sponsors.

Also implemented is a system to process tens of thousands of asylum seekers while they are in Mexico. This is facilitated through a government mobile phone app called CBP One, enabling individuals to secure appointments to enter the United States.