How technology can provide overseas Chinese with a sense of comfort and community in a new country
Apps such as Weixin and WeChat help people living abroad stay connected with relatives from afar while also building a network of local friendsIn Orange County, California, a recently arrived family are finding these apps to be go-to tools for settling into their new homeIn Partnership With:TencentLife abroad made easier with techMorning Studio editorsPublished: 3:00pm, 28 Sep, 2023Why you can trust SCMP
Chinese communities of all sizes can be found around the world. In the US, people of Chinese descent constitute the largest Asian group, with a population of 5.2 million as of 2021. Among this number are people who came over from China for various reasons, including academic pursuits, work opportunities and uniting families.
Moving overseas always presents an array of challenges, such as learning to live with a new language and getting used to a different culture. Even after these new arrivals have fully settled down, they can still miss the traditions of their native land from time to time.
In the past, it could take months or years to establish a new home and build a network of friends, but technology now makes it much faster and easier to accomplish both. For example, the Weixin and WeChat apps have become the go-to tools for the Chinese diaspora.