Home>>Life
Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, June 10, 2003

NZ's Asian Population Seen Doubling By 2021

The number of Asians in New Zealand is set to more than double in 20 years according to data released on Tuesday, reigniting calls for tighter immigration policies from some opposition politicians.


PRINT DISCUSSION CHINESE SEND TO FRIEND


The number of Asians in New Zealand is set to more than double in 20 years according to data released on Tuesday, reigniting calls for tighter immigration policies from some opposition politicians.

The Asian population is projected to reach 604,000, or 13 percent of the total population, by 2021, making it the fastest-growing ethnic group in the country over the period, Statistics New Zealand said.

Recent growth of the Asian population in New Zealand has sparked calls for tighter restrictions on immigration, particularly from the nationalistic New Zealand First party of former deputy prime minister Winston Peters.

Peters said the "artificial population change" would create considerable social and cultural disruption.

"No rational government would continue down a path that jeopardises the future of its own people with stupid population policies," he said in a statement in response to the latest data.

About four-fifths of New Zealand's current population of four million are of European descent, most from Britain.

However the Asian population has been one of the fastest growing in recent times, reaching 272,000, or seven percent, by June 2001.

Small numbers of Asians, mostly Chinese, came to New Zealand in the late 1800s to work the gold fields, but migrant inflows were mostly light until the 1990s.

Numbers of Maori and Pacific Island people are also on the rise in New Zealand, with the indigenous Maori population expected to grow to around 17 percent of the population in 2021 from 15 percent, and the Pacific Island population to rise to nine percent from seven percent over the same period.




Questions?Comments? Click here
    Advanced








 


Efforts Urged to Frame China's Long-time Plan on Science,Technology ( 7 Messages)

Global Warming Troubles Qinghai-Tibet Railway Construction ( 7 Messages)

US Planning Historic Shift of Military Power Abroad: Report ( 26 Messages)

'Haven't got lost!': China's 1st SARS Patient out of Shadow ( 3 Messages)

Hu, Bush Pledge to Further Develop Constructive Ties of Cooperation ( 6 Messages)

G8 Meeting Urged to Highlight Water Issue in Africa ( 9 Messages)



Copyright by People's Daily Online, all rights reserved