Chinese Venezuelans

Chino-venezolanos 委内瑞拉华人
Total population
600,000[1]
Regions with significant populations
Valencia,Caracas,Maracay,Barquisimeto,Barcelona-Puerto La Cruz,Maracaibo,Maturín,Acarigua
Languages
Venezuelan Spanish,Cantonese,Mandarin Chinese,English
Religion
Buddhism,Roman Catholicism,Taoism andIrreligion
Related ethnic groups
Asian Latin Americans

Chinese Venezuelans (Spanish:Chino-venezolanos,Chinese:委内瑞拉华人) are people ofHan Chinese ancestry who were born in or have immigrated toVenezuela. The country is home to nearly 600,000 Chinese.^[1] Almost all their businesses are related to the culinary field.^[2]

The presence of Chinese people in the country is primarily traced back to three waves beginning in 1847, with the vast majority of immigrants originating fromEnping, Guangdong.^[3]

According to research by Professor Gao Weinong, the Enping community established strong chain-migration networks through the grocery and restaurant sectors, leading to Venezuela becoming the primary global destination for the Enping diaspora.^[4] Since then, the presence of Chinese Venezuelans has been constantly increasing, becoming more pronounced during theoil boom and surging significantly following the end of theCultural Revolution in the late 1970s. It is estimated that 90% of the Chinese population in Venezuela originates from Enping.^[4]

Until the mid-20th century, the Chinese community in Venezuela was primarily engaged in thelaundry industry. One of the pioneers in this was José Peña, who adopted this name inCuba and later arrived in Venezuela between 1885 and 1886, opening the first Chinese-run laundry in Caracas.^[5]

Likewise, the Sino-Venezuelan community has been known for its restaurants. For example, Joaquín Hau, who had arrived in Venezuela around 1928, started the first Chinese restaurant in Caracas with four nephews, which was called Chop Suey.^[5]

Professor Gao Weinong's research indicates that while laundries and restaurants were the early economic pillars, the Enping diaspora eventually established a dominant presence in the grocery and retail sectors (known locally asabastos).^[3] This transition was facilitated by mutual aid networks and specialized commercial associations that helped immigrants navigate Venezuela's shifting economic landscape.^[4]

Chinese food in Venezuela is predominantly of Cantonese origin, specifically reflecting the culinary traditions ofEnping.^[4] While generally consumed traditionally within the Sino-Venezuelan community, Chinese restaurants will often offer dishes adapted to the Venezuelan palate.^[6] Similarly, these dishes have been influenced by the style of Sino-American cuisine, particularly that ofSan Francisco.^[5]

Among the most common dishes offered by Chinese restaurants in Venezuela arelumpias,sweet and sour pork ribs,fried rice, andchop suey. Gao notes that within the community, authentic Enping-style dishes continue to be preserved as a form of cultural identity.^[3] However, some restaurants do offer a more varied menu.^[5]

States with the highest proportions of Chinese-born population tend to be those of theCapital Region andEastern Region. The states with the most population of Chinese-born people are also located in the central-north area.

At the 2011 census, this was the breakdown of Chinese-born population by state:^[7]

State	Chinese-born Population	Percentage
Amazonas	31	0.021
Anzoátegui	1,193	0.082
Apure	116	0.025
Aragua	1,305	0.081
Barinas	414	0.051
Bolívar	515	0.037
Capital District	1,765	0.092
Carabobo	2,016	0.09
Cojedes	167	0.039
Delta Amacuro	42	0.026
Falcón	269	0.028
Federal Dependencies	1	0.047
Guárico	350	0.047
Lara	1,247	0.071
Mérida	306	0.037
Miranda	1,453	0.055
Monagas	796	0.088
Nueva Esparta	344	0.071
Portuguesa	660	0.077
Sucre	321	0.037
Tachira	264	0.023
Trujillo	336	0.049
Vargas	134	0.038
Yaracuy	394	0.066
Zulia	919	0.025
Total Venezuela	15,358	0.06

• Victor Fung (footballer)
• Ludmila Vinogradoff

• Taiwan–Venezuela relations
• China–Venezuela relations
• Chinese diaspora
• Immigration to Venezuela

• Venezuela's Sabor y Suerte in Chinese Food.

• Chinese diaspora by country
• Chinese diaspora in South America
• Ethnic groups in Venezuela
• Venezuelan people of Chinese descent
• China–Venezuela relations

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