Talks between Washington and Beijing over the repatriation of Chinese migrants

by John Ai

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said he was "hopeful" that an agreement could be reached after recent discussions with his Chinese counterpart. The number of Chinese crossing the border between Mexico and the United States has a reached record high in recent years. Meanwhile, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen ended her visit to China to reset economic relations.

Beijing (AsiaNews) – China and the United States are discussing the possibility of repatriating Chinese migrants who illegally entered US territory, Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas said two days ago.

Back in February Mayorkas met with China’s Minister of Public Security, Wang Xiaohong, in Vienna.

An agreement would represent a turning point in relations between Washington and Beijing, which are trying to solve several bilateral issues amid a relative thaw in relations.

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen recently travelled to China for the second time in nine months to reset economic relations between the two world powers.

Over the past few years, more and more Chinese migrants have tried to cross the border between Mexico and the United States; in 2023 alone, more than 37,000 were arrested, 50 times higher than the previous year.

Two weeks ago, the bodies of eight Chinese nationals were found on a beach near the town of Playa Vicente, in the Mexican state of Oaxaca, after their boat capsized at sea.

China officially suspended the repatriation of its citizens from the United States in 2022 after then House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, while the United States had deemed China "uncooperative" on the issue of repatriation, along with Russia, Venezuela, and Cuba, to name a few.

Mayorkas told NBC News that things "may be changing” now, noting that he was “hopeful” about the talks.

“We have been working with the People’s Republic of China to actually receive individuals whom we have determined are not eligible to remain in the United States,” he explained.

In a statement, Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington, noted that China was in favour of cooperation between the two countries.

“Illegal immigration is an international problem that needs the cooperation of relevant countries to solve it together,” he said, adding that the Chinese government “will accept repatriation of Chinese citizens who have been verified to be from mainland China."

According to the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, 288 Chinese nationals were repatriated in the last fiscal year, while about 100,000 are still in the US after receiving a deportation order.

Meanwhile, US Treasury Secretary Yellen ended talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, during which she reiterated US concerns over China's excess industrial capacity in the technology sector, particularly electric vehicles, solar panels, and lithium batteries.

Despite this, Beijing plans to increase exports to boost its economy. In 2023, China exported more than 1.2 million electric vehicles and produced more than 80 per cent of the world's solar panels, causing a slump in prices.

During last month’s annual Two Sessions meetings,[*] Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed the ambition to develop a cutting-edge industrial technology sector.

[*] The Annual plenary sessions of the National People's Congress and of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.