Irregular emigration from Fuzhou: A rural perspective

Fuzhou is a major sending region of irregular migrants from China. Drawing on qualitative data gathered in emigrant sending communities from the Fuzhou region of Fujian Province in southeast China, this paper captures the main institutional elements involved in understanding irregular emigrants' behavior. By comparing rural and urban societies, several issues related to irregular migration were identified, notably, China's dual social structure; its morality-led rural society; the dominance of the filial bond within the rural Chinese family; and the effective communication exchange system in rural Chinese society. We argue that the characteristics of China's rural social structure are important contributing factors to producing and perpetuating irregular migration from Fuzhou.