How Chinese Migrants Co‑Built Canada and China: A Transpacific Story

This episode of Business Talk features historian Dr. Zhongping Chen of the University of Victoria discussing his groundbreaking book, The Transpacific Chinese Diaspora: Migration Networks from China to Canada and Beyond, 1788–1898. The conversation traces the origins of Chinese migration to North America back to 1788, when Cantonese laborers from Guangdong, via Macau, joined the Pacific Northwest fur trade, decades before the California Gold Rush. Drawing on rare archives from British Columbia, Dr. Chen reveals how tightly knit regional networks built powerful community organizations, challenged racist legislation through the courts, and supported chain migration via gold rushes and railway construction. The episode also foregrounds Chinese–Indigenous collaborations and shows how experiments in Chinatown self-governance travelled back to China, feeding into late 19th century reform movements. Overall, it makes a compelling case for a transpacific lens that treats migrants as co builders of both North American societies and modern China. This podcast is brought to you by Global Management Consultancy. Disclaimer: 1. The background music incorporated in this video is the intellectual property of its respective developer and is protected under applicable copyright laws. Notwithstanding that it is a free-to-use version, Business Talk, Global Management Consultancy, and Deepak Bhatt do not own, and expressly do not claim, any rights, title, or interest in or to this music. 2. Dr. Zhongping Chen shared key insights from his acclaimed book, “The Transpacific Chinese Diaspora”, in an engaging episode of the Business Talk podcast. The uploaded video contains copyrighted content, so changing any graphics, music, or on-screen appearance of the author or host is not allowed.