East Asian Community in Birmingham

Where they come from

East Asia includes China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and Mongolia. Chinese families have lived in Birmingham for generations, many first arriving from Hong Kong to work in catering, and more recently students, academics and professionals have come from across the region.

The community in numbers

At the 2021 Census, out of a city population of 1,144,919, 9,617 people living in the city had been born in East Asia; and 9,556 residents gave an East Asian language as their main language. Main language figures leave out the many bilingual residents who use English day to day, so the number who speak the language at home is higher still. The language figure includes speakers of South-East Asian languages such as Vietnamese, Thai and Tagalog.

Working for Birmingham

East Asian enterprise built Birmingham's Chinese Quarter, and East Asian-heritage residents now work as doctors, pharmacists, engineers, academics, accountants and technology specialists. Students from China, Hong Kong, Japan and Korea are an important part of the city's universities.

Birmingham grew rich as the city of a thousand trades, and that spirit of making and doing is still strong. Today the trades sit alongside healthcare, education, finance, law, logistics and technology. The East Asian community brings energy to that mix, from people starting small businesses to those caring for patients, teaching in classrooms and keeping homes and workplaces in good repair.

Culture and community life

Lunar New Year fills the Chinese Quarter with lion dances and lanterns, and the pagoda at Holloway Circus is a city landmark. Dim sum, ramen, sushi and Korean barbecue are loved across the city, and K-pop, anime and martial arts have huge followings among young Brummies.

Birmingham's strength lies in its variety, and the East Asian community is a welcome part of it. As the city continues to grow and change, that contribution will remain part of the story of a place that has always looked forward.