Xin nian kuai le. Alternatively, Happy New Year! Today, China celebrates its largest and most significant cultural holiday, with 10,433 people in the Canary Islands welcoming the Canary Islands | Link Year of the Dragon. The dragon is regarded as a symbol of power, vitality, and good fortune in the Asian zodiac. Although there may not be grand firework displays or colourful parades, the spirit of celebration prevails throughout the streets surrounding the Central Market of The Palms of Gran Canaria | Link, and the vicinity of Angel Guimerá in Santa Cruz de Tenerife | Link. No official “chinatown” has been formed on any island due to the small number of Chinese residents and the inclusive spirit of the Canarians.
During this time, ancient traditions steeped in superstition and custom are observed to ward off misfortunes and beckon prosperity and abundance. Homes and businesses alike become gathering places, exemplified by the Jinlui family. The four generations enjoy a splendid dinner tonight with a menu comprising traditional dishes from their homeland and others infused with a Canarian essence. Cai Cai Jinlui arrived in Gran Canaria in 1996 on the urging of a friend who extolled the benefits of the island’s climate and the business opportunities in the tourism sector. Just a year later, he established his own restaurant in Puerto Rico | Link in the southern part of Gran Canaria, the Great Slow Boat, which has been serving diners for nearly 30 years. Although his children were born in China, they were raised here, and one of them has already started his own family, thus Jinlui now has three Canarian grandchildren. «This is the best climate in the world, it feels like spring all year round, and it doesn’t cost anything. I even brought my 91-year-old mother here. In 2026, I plan to retire and split my time between China and here, where my family is,” revealed Jinlui, who is the vice president of the Mazu Cultural Association in Spain and the Chinese Association in the Canary Islands.
Fishing Vessels
The first Chinese migrants began arriving in the Archipelago in the 1970s, following the liberalization policies of Deng Xiaoping that opened the communist country to the outside world, leading to a migration boom. The majority originate from the coastal regions of Zhejiang and Fujian, which have a rich maritime trading tradition. Some even entered irregularly through the Canary ports aboard large fishing vessels and never returned to sea. During those years, and even until now, the Chinese did not place the Archipelago on the map, but word of mouth attracted relatives and friends of the pioneers who managed to settle down and even start their own businesses. Taiwanese writer Echo Chen, better known as Sanmao, lived in Gran Canaria and Tenerife in the mid-70s and published several books recounting her personal experiences, thus popularizing the Canaries among her compatriots.
The Archipelago officially houses 10,433 Chinese individuals, but the actual number is higher due to labour mobility
Since then, the Chinese community has gradually integrated into island society, not just in the business community, but also in social life. “We are just like everyone else,” asserts Jaime Jiang, an entrepreneur who has been based in Lanzarote | Link for almost 30 years. He chose Gran Canaria as the destination for his final study trip to visit a friend who had described the Archipelago as a “holiday paradise.” He arrived for the climate and to explore the volcanoes but stayed for the people. “From the very beginning, I was welcomed with open arms,” recalls Jiang, who arrived not knowing a word of Spanish but managed to learn the language with ease thanks to the help of his neighbours.
Celebration of the Chinese New Year in the ULPGC Auditorium. / José Carlos Guerra
Jiang, the manager of Suko supermarket and Kokoxili restaurant in Arrecife | Link, is the driving force behind the Foundation for Assistance to the Chinese Community in the Canary Islands, which aims to promote cultural exchange and facilitate the lives of newcomers requiring guidance to settle in and process their documentation. Additionally, it advises entrepreneurs and investors seeking commercial links in the islands. “We strive to ensure that all parties benefit,” asserts the entrepreneur, who supports those opting for importing technology made in China and those interested in exporting gourmet products crafted in the Canaries.
Beyond Statistics
The Chinese community residing in the islands is more extensive than reflected in the official statistics from the National Institute of Statistics (INE), as labour mobility brings many to work for a few months, particularly during peak tourist seasons, and they do not get registered.The dwindling Chinese population in the Canary Islands
The municipal registry has seen a decrease of 4% in the number of Chinese residents from 2020 onwards, as explained by Jiang. Sheng Huang, a lawyer and secretary of the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), attributes these departures to Chinese nationals seeking fresh opportunities elsewhere, especially in Latin America, where they have found a “gold mine” due to the absence of an industrial fabric providing them with basic use objects. Another factor that has affected the decrease in the number of Chinese residents has been the pandemic, although some who opted to return to their country due to the impact of anti-Covid measures on their catering businesses are now returning, according to Jiang, vice president of the Mazu Cultural Association in the Canary Islands.
“The Asian population yearns for places where they can spend leisure time with their fellow countrymen,” emphasizes Huang. The small number of inhabitants from the giant Asian country has prevented the formation of Chinese neighborhoods in the Canary Islands. “They get bored here, there is no social life for them. The idea of working 24 hours a day, 365 days a year has been surpassed. Now, the rights and needs of the new generations are adapting to those of the society in which they live. They even close their businesses to go on vacation, and that was unthinkable 20 years ago,” says Huang. “In major cities, there are neighborhoods where all businesses are built based on the needs of the Chinese community, but here they work to provide services to the islanders.” Despite the existence of dozens of Chinese restaurants on the islands, most of them offer a menu tailored to European tastes and do not serve authentic traditional dishes. “We like social gatherings, eating out, and karaoke,” explains Huang, who laments the limited leisure offerings available in the Canary Islands.
“We have adapted and enjoy ourselves in the Canarian way. In contact with nature. Here we have the beach and the Teide. It’s another way to spend leisure time,” argues Jiali Zheng, General Secretary of the China Dragon Socio-Cultural Association in Tenerife, who arrived in Spain at the age of 15 and has been living in Tenerife for almost two decades. “I’ve been here for more than half of my life, I feel half Canarian and half Chinese because I live here but have not lost the connection with the traditions of my country,” states Zheng, who works as an accountant in a consulting firm and volunteers at the association, promoting knowledge of her culture and acting as a bridge between the Chinese community and local authorities and the embassy.
“According to data from the Canary Islands Employment Observatory (Obecan), there are 5,471 Chinese workers affiliated with social security in the archipelago, representing 4.4% of the foreigners working on the islands. Additionally, 46.5% of them are self-employed and have their own businesses, thereby creating employment opportunities. “In the past, the large bazaars were filled with Chinese workers, but now there are hardly any of them, and those positions are filled by Canarians,” notes Huang, explaining that there is a high demand for Chinese labour in the archipelago, especially in restaurants, where hefty wages are being paid.
The first generation of Chinese immigrants who came to the Canary Islands were primarily drawn by employment opportunities. “They came to work because they incurred debt to come here, they were not concerned about learning the language,” recounts Zheng. Initially, they thrived in the hospitality sector, but their children ventured into the realm of bazaars and imports. The third generation is more professionalized and is beginning to be present in sectors such as medicine, law, architecture, education, and engineering.
The secretary of the Confucius Institute predicts that in a few years, there will be many Chinese entrepreneurs in the automotive sector. The sale of Chinese vehicles is now in the hands of local dealers, which contradicts the policies of Asian automotive companies that aim to have their own distribution networks. “China is at the forefront of electric cars, and that is a business that entrepreneurs will not overlook,” asserts Huang.
If there is a social aspect that eludes them, it is politics, as there are still no public representatives of Chinese origin neither in the Canary Islands nor at the national level. “With time and through integration, the first Chinese parliamentarian will someday arrive. Possibly in the next generation, because we are part of the community,” affirms Jiang.
“We are in a process of mixing,” notes Huang, who arrived in Spain at the tender age of seven and has forged a professional career on the islands. In his opinion, the stereotype that the Chinese community is insular has already been overcome. “Since Covid, the Chinese community fabric has actively supported social activities in the Canary Islands. The fear that a foreign community may generate stems from ignorance and lack of communication, and although there is still some way to go, that fear is being overcome,” says the Confucius Institute secretary, an institution that has been promoting Chinese language and culture in the archipelago for eleven years and last Wednesday brought together students from different schools in Gran Canaria to celebrate the Year of the Dragon. Traditional songs, musical performances, and dances filled the ULPGC Auditorium.
