Little China

The majority of Chinese people living in Italy come from a relatively small area in Zhejiang, a southern region of China, particularly from the city of Wenzhou.

In recent years, the integration of the Chinese community in Italy has accelerated significantly. Initially employed as manual workers, many gradually became wholesalers and, more recently, moved into manufacturing. Today, there are around 25,000 Chinese entrepreneurs in Italy. A milestone in this process was reached when Mr. Xu Qiu Lin became the first Chinese entrepreneur to be admitted to Confindustria, Italy’s national confederation of businesses. In 2006, he presented a sportswear collection endorsed by Gabriele Batistuta at the Pitti Uomo fashion fair in Florence. The collection was later launched in both Latin America and the Far East.

As economic conditions improved, many families were able to invest in education and in improving the quality of life. Children began attending Italian universities, American schools in Italy, or returning to China for higher education. Some families could also afford a second home by the sea or in the mountains. According to the Italian Ministry of Public Education, the number of Chinese students completing secondary school rose from 15,000 to 19,000 by 2006.

Language barriers—once among the main obstacles and a frequent source of mistrust—have been partially overcome. This progress has contributed to a gradual opening toward the Chinese community and its culture. Many young people today speak only Italian, often with a strong local accent, while losing fluency in their mother tongue. In response, several Chinese associations organize Saturday language courses to preserve linguistic heritage.

The younger generation shares many traits with Italian youth: similar fashions in hairstyles and clothing, a passion for video games, and, above all, a strong need to belong to a group. At the same time, as economic stability has grown, so too has the public affirmation of cultural identity, expressed through concerts, performances, parades, and the establishment of cultural and religious institutions—such as the first Chinese Buddhist temple in Italy, founded in Rome.

Prato, a small city near Florence in Tuscany, has the highest concentration of Chinese residents in Italy: approximately 30,000 people, representing about 20% of the local population. The city is home to one of the country’s largest textile districts, with around 1,700 Chinese-owned companies specializing in dressmaking and ready-to-wear clothing. In 2004 alone, the Chinese textile sector in this area generated a turnover of €55.69 billion and produced approximately 11.7 million garments by 2006.

Over time, the quality of apparel produced by these industries has steadily improved. As a result, even major Italian fashion companies have increasingly turned to the Chinese workforce.