The Chinese community in Mauritius has two parts. The old community is mostly descended from Hakka migrants from Meixian in Guangdong, now in its third or fourth generation and part of mainstream society. The newer community consists mainly of staff of Chinese companies and other PRC citizens who have arrived in recent years. This site estimates about 20,000–30,000 people of Chinese descent, of whom about 3,000 hold Chinese nationality.
The old community centres on Chinatown in Port Louis, home to chambers and temples more than a century old; newer arrivals connect mainly through the Chinese Enterprises Association and the Chinese Business Chamber. The Chinese Embassy is in Belle Rose, Rose Hill.
History and numbers
- The Cohan Tai Biou Society, which runs the Kwan Tee Pagoda in Port Louis, says it has existed since 1819 and was founded by Log Choïssane, who was linked to the early Chinese presence in Mauritius. The pagoda’s website dates its heritage to 1842 and marked its 175th anniversary in 2017.
- Since 1906 the pagoda has been run by a 15-member committee with equal numbers from the Cantonese, Fukienese and Hakka communities.
- The Chinese Chamber of Commerce (CCOC, also known as Va Siong Kwong Sow) was founded in 1908 (L’Express, October 2025).
- The PRC Foreign Ministry country profile (updated July 2026) puts people of Chinese descent at 2.3% of the population. The MOFCOM guide says about 20,000 Chinese live in Mauritius, about 90% of Hakka origin from Meixian, with about 75% in commerce and industry and the rest in the professions and civil service, most of them comfortably off.
This site uses these figures: about 20,000–30,000 people of Chinese descent, about 3,000 Chinese nationals and 205 Chinese contract workers. See Chinese population in Africa for sources and definitions.
Most Chinese Mauritians are Buddhist, and many are Catholic or Protestant. Hakka is one of the community languages in use, and national broadcasting carries a small number of Hakka and Cantonese programmes (PRC Foreign Ministry).
Where Chinese people live and work
The MOFCOM guide says the Chinese community is concentrated in Port Louis and the central highland town of Curepipe. Port Louis Chinatown is where most of the old associations are based: before the 2026 Spring Festival, the Chinese ambassador visited the main Chinese associations there.
Newer arrivals mostly work in construction contracting, banking and the Jinfei zone. Seventeen Chinese construction companies are registered in Mauritius; Bank of China (Mauritius) is in Port Louis; the Jinfei zone is near Port Louis. For the permits you need to work, see Mauritius visas and work permits.
Associations and chambers of commerce
| Name | Details | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Chinese Chamber of Commerce (毛里求斯中华总商会) | Founded 1908; promotes Chinese culture, represents the community and helps traders and newcomers; has run the Chinatown food and culture festival since 2005 | L’Express, 2025; MOFCOM guide |
| 毛里求斯华商总会 | Listed by MOFCOM among the old community’s associations; the Chinese ambassador met its president, Lin Lianchun (林莲春), in April 2026 | MOFCOM guide; embassy, 2026 |
| 华人妇联会 (Chinese women’s association), 汉语促进会 (Chinese-language promotion association), 仁和会馆 | Other associations listed in the MOFCOM guide | MOFCOM guide |
| Alliance of Chinese associations (华社联盟) | An alliance of several associations; its new board met the Chinese ambassador in July 2026 | Embassy, 2026 |
| Cohan Tai Biou Society | Runs the Kwan Tee Pagoda in Port Louis | Kwan Tee Pagoda website |
| Chinese Business Chamber (华商经贸专业联合会) | Founded 1998, 300+ members, mostly business people | MOFCOM guide; embassy, 2026 |
| Chinese Enterprises Association | Founded 2006, chaired by Bank of China (Mauritius), 19 member companies | MOFCOM guide |
Addresses and phone numbers for the Chinese Enterprises Association and the Chinese Business Chamber are on Registering a company in Mauritius.
Temples, festivals and cultural venues
- Kwan Tee Pagoda: at Les Salines, Port Louis, with a history dating from 1842.
- Chinatown Food & Cultural Festival: organised by the Chinese Chamber of Commerce since 2005; the 18th edition ran on 25–26 October 2025 with Chinese food, lion and dragon dances and martial arts.
- Chinese Spring Festival banquet: on 30 January 2026 the Mauritian government and the main Chinese associations jointly hosted the banquet, attended by the Deputy Prime Minister, ministers and nearly 1,000 community representatives.
- China Cultural Centre: the embassy’s cultural section, at Victor Hugo Road, Bell Village, Port Louis; open weekdays 8:00–12:30 and 14:00–17:30.
Chinese-language media
The MOFCOM guide lists two Chinese-language newspapers: 《华侨时报》 and 《华声报》. The PRC Foreign Ministry profile says there are four Chinese newspapers, including 《华侨时报》. We could not verify the names of local Chinese WeChat groups or Chinese websites, so none are listed here.
Chinese supermarkets and shopping
We could not verify the names of Chinese supermarkets from official or reliable media sources, so none are listed yet. New arrivals can ask the Chinese associations or the Chinese Enterprises Association. For local food prices see the Mauritius guide.
Chinese Embassy in Mauritius
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Address | Royal Road, Belle Rose, Rose Hill |
| Switchboard | (230) 467-4600 |
| Consular section | (230) 463-8708, (230) 463-8706; port-louis@csm.mfa.gov.cn |
| Consular protection emergency line | 230-52522618 |
| Office hours | Monday to Friday 8:00–12:30 and 14:00–17:30, except holidays |
| Website | mu.china-embassy.gov.cn |
There is no Chinese consulate-general in Mauritius. For what to do after theft or a dispute, see Mauritius safety and consular protection.
References
- Country Guide for Outward Investment and Cooperation: Mauritius (2025 edition) (PRC Ministry of Commerce et al., 2025)
- Mauritius country profile (PRC Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 2026)
- Kwan Tee Pagoda (Cohan Tai Biou Society, accessed October 2026)
- About Cohan Tai Biou Society (Cohan Tai Biou Society, accessed October 2026)
- Ile Maurice: Deux jours de saveurs et de traditions à Port-Louis (L’Express (Mauritius), via AllAfrica, 24 October 2025)
- Ambassador visits main Chinese associations in Chinatown (Chinese Embassy in Mauritius, 2026)
- Ambassador attends Chinese Spring Festival banquet (Chinese Embassy in Mauritius, 2026)
- Ambassador meets the Chinese associations alliance (Chinese Embassy in Mauritius, 2026)
- Ambassador meets president of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce (华商总会) (Chinese Embassy in Mauritius, 2026)
- Ambassador meets president of the Chinese Business Chamber (Chinese Embassy in Mauritius, 2026)
- Office address and hours (Chinese Embassy in Mauritius, 2020)
- Contact us (Chinese Embassy in Mauritius, 2023)