From the Library of Congress, Chinese Immigration:

“The Chinese experience in America began with dreams of gold, as legends of instant wealth in California lured hopeful adventurers across the Pacific Ocean. Those dreams soon lost their luster, though; these sojourners found mostly hard times and persecution, and scrambled to survive in a strange country.

Only through decades of struggle, isolation, and slow progress were Chinese Americans able to find a secure place in the life of the nation. Today, though, a new surge of growth and cultural vitality promises to transform the Chinese American community, and to reshape American life for future generations.�

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, International Data Base (demographic data) and USA Trade Online (trade data); Central Intelligence Agency, The World Fact Book (country reference maps).