The continuous growth in the number of Chinese entrepreneurs in Spain has attracted attention from all sectors of Spanish society. Among the 260,000 self-employed foreign nationals in Spain, Chinese individuals account for 18%. Media outlets and sociologists have begun to explore the tireless entrepreneurial spirit of Chinese immigrants in Spain, focusing on aspects such as "second-generation Chinese entrepreneurship," "sectors of Chinese entrepreneurship," "trends in Chinese entrepreneurship," and the "overall landscape of Chinese entrepreneurship."
The Spanish are very curious about these figures, as China ranks fifth among all foreign immigrants in Spain, following Romania, Morocco, the United Kingdom, and Italy. According to statistics from June 2015, there were a total of 193,690 Chinese individuals in Spain, of whom 47,707 were self-employed business owners, meaning that nearly 1/4 of the Chinese population are business owners.
There are two reasons why the number of self-employed Chinese is far higher than that of other nationalities: "First, in general, Chinese people face significant language barriers, making it difficult for them to secure employment in Spanish companies; second, Chinese people are very fond of entrepreneurship and aspire to be their own bosses."
The lives of Chinese immigrants have consistently followed this pattern; due to language issues, they live within their own communities and have little contact with the outside society. Therefore, many Chinese are willing to choose to establish their own trading businesses and become bosses in "Chinatowns" with which they are more familiar. In Spain, Chinese self-employment has clear directions and models. Chinese entrepreneurs focus on opening "one-euro" shops, Chinese restaurants, and grocery stores in various communities, providing convenient services to local residents.