Portugal findings unveiled at the EACS 2024

On 27th of August 2024, AspirE's Portugal-based team participated in the European Association for Chinese Studies (EACS) 25th Biennial Conference 2024. The event was organised by EACS in collaboration with the Department of Asian Studies at the School of Humanities of Tallinn University, Estonia on 27-30 August, 2024, and it gathered scholars in all areas of Chinese Studies from Europe and beyond.

Entitled "The role of air pollution in the decision-making migration process of wealthy citizens from China to Portugal," the presentation of Sofia Gaspar, Carol Wang, and Olga Cojocaru studied the connection between international migration and air pollution in Chinese urban areas, which has gained increasing attention in recent years. China's rapid economic growth has significantly contributed to environmental pollution, leading to air, water, and soil contamination as well as a rise in related health issues. Additionally, the high levels of urbanisation in cities like Beijing and Shanghai have prompted affluent families with children to migrate to Europe, among other destinations, in pursuit of a healthier environment and lifestyle.

In particular, Portugal has become a popular choice for wealthy Chinese families, many of whom have settled in upper-middle-class neighborhoods in Lisbon and Oporto. However, the relationship between air pollution and migration decisions remains underexplored. This presentation examines this connection as a critical factor influencing Chinese families' migration decisions to Portugal. Based on 25 semi-structured interviews with affluent Chinese migrants living in Portugal, the findings reveal that environmental issues, such as air pollution, have received little attention as migration motivations. Instead, the primary drivers for these families were pursuing a healthier lifestyle and access to a more relaxed, internationally oriented education for their children. Participants also leveraged "pragmatic" mobility policies to facilitate their quick settlement in Portugal.

Read more about the event HERE.