Asian Immigrants and the Economy of Spain  Chinese immigrants form the sixth largest immigrant group in Spain, after Romanian immigrants, Moroccan immigrants, Ecuadorian immigrants, British immigrants, and Colombian immigrants. They have enjoyed a significant degree of economic success that has also given them a level of economic power and influence that has not gone by unnoticed by the other Spanish. Undeterred by the 2008 financial crisis, the economic success of Chinese immigrants had created a perception of East Asian immigrants that has been both positive and negative. While a certain level of respect and acknowledgement of the Chinese had been created, their rising success in the midst of hardships on the part of most Spaniards had also bred skepticism and a rejection of the immigrants to a certain extent, especially during the crisis. The traditional and most widespread way that most Asian immigrants in Spain earn their livelihoods is from owning small businesses, such as restaurants and small street stores. Even though the East Asian population in Spain didn't grow significantly until the 21st century, Chinese immigrants actually began to come to Spain in the 1980s, and took up the business of opening up restaurants. Soon, Chinese restaurants were present in all of the neighborhoods in Spain, and Chinese food became increasingly more known and consumed. According to Joaquín Beltrán, a professor of East Asian Studies at the Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, the Chinese “restaurant was the icon of the Chinese presence in Spain.” Moreover, Chinese food from these restaurants became integrated into the Spanish life as well—“they changed some habits of consumption: the Spanish families found in the spring roll and in rice…a formula of cheap food.” There were only so many restaurants they could open up, however, so the immigrants that arrived later began to open up small stores instead. According to a blog post written by CJ Le, these small shops had quickly become the prevalent form of business that Chinese immigrants ran, because of the indisputable demand for these types of stores on the part of the Spanish. The Spanish “want, and therefore, buy cheap plastic objects, and we like going to a huge shop where we can find everything we need under one roof for an affordable price,” which created a sector in the Spanish market in which the immigrants could relatively easily join in and earn their living without having to take too much of a financial risk. It was—and is—a way in which immigrants can earn a living to get themselves settled and provide for their families. These stores—small corner shops—sell a wide assortment of goods, ranging anywhere from “school supplies, toys, games, electronics, kitchen stuff, shoes, purses, picture frames, fabric, yarn, lightbulbs, glue, hair ties, umbrellas, maps, etc,” all at very reasonable prices.