Since the start of the latest global financial crisis, Beijing has been having a ball gloating at the plight of the West. But if the American dream has truly been strangled by a noose of debt – as the Chinese government seems to think – then why is emigration still so attractive to so many Chinese?

　　自從最近這次全球金融危機爆發(fā)以來，對于西方的困境，中國政府一直有一種幸災(zāi)樂禍的心情。然而，如果“美國夢”真的已被債務(wù)絞索勒死（中國政府似乎就是這么認(rèn)為的），為什么移民仍然吸引著那么多的中國人？

　　According to the Blue Book of Overseas Chinese published on Monday in Beijing, since 1978 total emigration from China has exceeded 4.5m.

　　根據(jù)周一在北京發(fā)布的《華僑華人研究報告(2011)》藍皮書(Blue Book of Overseas Chinese)，自1978年以來，中國海外移民數(shù)量可能達450萬人以上。

　　What’s more, the report (which is issued by the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council, China’s cabinet) says Chinese who have left the motherland are on top of the world overseas: one third of the founders or senior executives in Silicon Valley, the US high technology mecca, are of Chinese origin.

　　而且，這份由國務(wù)院僑務(wù)辦公室發(fā)布的報告稱，與其他國家的移民相比，海外華人具有獨特優(yōu)勢：在美國“高科技圣地”硅谷，由華僑華人創(chuàng)辦或擔(dān)任首席執(zhí)行官的公司約占三分之一。

　　Even more surprising: this is not just a phenomenon of the 1980s or 1990s, when any Chinese with a bit of ambition was headed overseas to study, if not to stay. According to a recent study by Bain & Co, as many as 60 per cent of the Chinese rich (defined as having a net worth of US$ 1.5m or more) have decided to emigrate or are considering doing so – even now, when the rest of the world is flocking to China to get rich.

　　更令人驚訝的是：這并不只是上世紀(jì)八、九十年代的現(xiàn)象。當(dāng)時，凡是有點抱負(fù)的中國人，不是移民海外，就是出國留學(xué)。根據(jù)貝恩(Bain & Co)近期的一份報告，多達60%的中國富人（資產(chǎn)凈值在150萬美元以上）或者已經(jīng)決定、或者正在考慮移民——雖說在當(dāng)下，世界其他地區(qū)的人都蜂擁至中國發(fā)財致富。

　　The Chinese wealthy are thinking about “investment immigration” – which requires them to invest a large sum of money in one of those debt traps that Beijing likes to deride. Bain found that, among those with net worth above $15m, 27 per cent have already completed immigration formalities to jump ship.

　　中國富人正在考慮“投資移民”，這要求他們在那些老被中國政府嘲笑為“債務(wù)陷阱”的國家投資一大筆錢。貝恩發(fā)現(xiàn)，在凈資產(chǎn)在1500萬美元以上的群體中，27%的人已經(jīng)辦完了移民手續(xù)。

　　Last week Australia said China overtook the UK to become the country’s biggest source of migrants. And a recent Xinhua news agency report said 2m mainlanders had obtained permanent residency in the US.

　　澳大利亞上周宣布，中國已取代英國，成為澳大利亞第一大移民來源。另外，據(jù)新華社最近報道，中國大陸地區(qū)已有200萬人拿到了美國綠卡。

　　Maybe the tide will reverse, now that America has been laid low yet again by the profligacy of its citizens. But don’t bet on it.

　　這股潮流或許會逆轉(zhuǎn)——既然美國已再一次被國民的肆意揮霍挫傷了元氣。不過這也難說。