(ECNS) -- China's southern megacity of Guangzhou has only 5,208 long-term African residents, much less than the popularly held number of 20,000, said Chen Rugui, the city's executive vice mayor.
Some media reports said that there are 20,000 long-term Africans living in Guangzhou, which some believe is still an underestimate. The truth is, between January and November, only 5,208 Africans living in Guangzhou had long-term visas, Chen said.
Guangzhou is one of the cities with the largest number of expats in China and also boasts one of the largest African communities in Asia.
The ciy records more than two million arrivals and departures by nationals from other countries each year at its checkpoints, of which about ten percent, or 200,000 arrivals and departures, are from Africa.
Chen said the cosmopolitan city has established a comprehensive system to crack down on illegal immigrants, specifically those falling under the much-publicized "three illegals" category, referring to entry, residence, and employment.
