Chinatowns in Asia are widespread with large concentrations of overseas Chinese in East Asia and Southeast Asia, and ethnic Chinese whose ancestors came from southern China—particularly the provinces of Guangdong, Fujian, and Hainan—and settled in countries such as Brunei, Cambodia, East Timor, Indonesia, India, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, Japan and Korea centuries ago—starting as early as the Tang dynasty, but mostly notably in the 17th–19th centuries (during the reign of the Qing dynasty), and well into the 20th century. Today the Chinese diaspora in Asia is primarily concentrated in Southeast Asia; however, the legacy of the once widespread overseas Chinese communities in Asia is evident in the many Chinatowns found across East, South and Southeast Asia.

These ethnic Chinese often arrived from southern mainland China. They were mainly Chinese people of Cantonese (Vietnam, Cambodia, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia), Hakka (India, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar, Brunei), Hokkien (Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, Myanmar), and Teochew/Chaozhou (Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia) origin and less often of Hainanese, Hokchew and Henghwa origin in some countries.

Binondo, located in Manila, Philippines, is considered by many to be the oldest existing Chinatown in the world, having been officially established in 1594 by the Spanish colonial government in the Philippines as a permanent settlement for Chinese who had converted to Christianity. A separate area, called the Parian, was allotted for unconverted Chinese.Raitisoja, Geni " Chinatown Manila: Oldest in the world" , Tradio86.com, July 8, 2006.

Chợ Lớn, located in Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon), Vietnam, is the largest Chinatown in the world and dates back to the late 18th century.Cho Lon, HCMC’s Booming Chinatown, Saigon Giải Phóng News, 13 May 2008.

Ethnic Chinese represent a large minority population in most of these countries—with Singapore being the exception, where Chinese-origin Singaporeans form the majority of the population. Chinese Indonesians and Chinese Filipinos have adapted to Indonesian and Filipino ways. The Thai Chinese and Chinese Cambodian people have generally assimilated into the larger Thai and Cambodian population.

Origin of Chinatowns in Asia Historically, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and to some extent East Asia have been areas of overseas Chinese migration within Asia. In the 18th and 19th century there were waves of Chinese migration to other parts of Asia, primarily in Southeast Asia. As a result of this migration, Chinatowns emerged in areas with high amounts of Chinese migrants.

Specific Asian Chinatowns Afghanistan In the Taimani area of the capital Kabul, there is an office building named China Town, with spaces for Chinese traders and merchants, as well as a small market.

Bangladesh Nalchity in Barisal Division had already attained prominence as the principal commercial hub of the region. Contemporary accounts and subsequent scholarly assessments indicate that the area witnessed a steady influx of foreign merchants from diverse lands, reflecting its importance within wider networks of trade. Notably, Chinese traders are understood to have played a significant role in the commerce of salt and betel nut in this locality. Material and toponymic traces of their presence are commonly identified by researchers in the present-day China Bazar of Nalchiti and in the Chinese grave situated near the bus stand.

Cambodia Cambodia started to contact China as early as the 1st century CE, but it was only until the 19th century that many Chinese started to immigrate to Cambodia. Most Chinese settlers in Cambodia are Teochew people, followed by some Cantonese, Hokkien, and Hakka.

In the late 19th century, during the reign of Luong Preah Norodom, a plot of land along the riverside, north of the royal palace (Psar Chas) in Phnom Penh, was gifted to the Chinese immigrants. This became Phnom Penh Chinatown. The settlement gradually grew and expanded. However, after the Khmer Rouge, Chinatown was reduced to the areas around Orussey Market and Central Market. It also lies on Charles de Gaulle Street, Kampuchea Krom Boulevard (west of Central Market), Monivong Boulevard, and Street 166.

Phnom Penh Chinatown is known for its Chinese cuisine, including grilled squids, tea eggs, lamina mee, and stir fry. There are also other businesses such as Feng Shui services and herbal shops.

Phnom Penh Chinatown is also the site of many Chinese festival celebrations. The most prominent of which being Chinese New Year but also the Spirit Parade Day, the Moon Cake Festival, and the Dragon Boat Festival.

East Timor Dili, the capital of East Timor, has a Chinatown business area on Hudilaran Street.

India

Most of the Chinese community in Kolkata live in or near Tiretta Bazaar, the local Chinatown. Many Hakkas live in a community known as Tangra, which used to be dominated by leather tanneries (the Hindu majority will not touch cattle) and Chinese restaurants. , there were roughly 7,000 people of Chinese origin in Tangra, but the population was as high as 20,000. The population decline has been attributed to increased pollution regulations on tanneries and the immigration of younger generations to countries such as Australia, Canada, and the United States for better economic opportunities.

Another Chinatown is in Byculla, Mumbai. However, it has diminished in population as many of its Indian-born Chinese ethnic residents were denied Indian passports, a backlash from the 1962 Indo-China war.

Indonesia

In Indonesia, many Chinese reside within the Major cities and towns of Java, Sumatra, Sulawesi, Borneo and the Moluccas. There is also a sizeable Chinese population in small towns and villages across Sumatra and Borneo. In Java, especially in Jakarta, Chinese people reside in the northern, central and the western part of the province, such as Glodok, Mangga Dua, Pinangsia, Kelapa Gading, Grogol, Pantai Indah Kapuk, and Pluit. Other Chinatowns in Java are located in the Tangerang city center; Suryakencana Street in Bogor, West Java; Jalan Pekojan in Semarang; Lasem in Central Java; Kampung Ketandan in Yogyakarta; Kya-Kya in Surabaya; Kampung Balong in Surakarta; Jalan Kyai Tamin and Pasar Besar in Malang; Jalan Pemuda in Magelang; Pakelan in Kediri; Jalan Karyawan baru in Mojokerto; Keplekan Kidul and Jalan Blimbing in Pekalongan; Jalan Gajah Mada in Sidoarjo; and Jalan Veteran in Tegal.

As for Sumatra and Borneo, many cities and towns have significant Chinese populations that can be found dispersed in and around the city. Those are: Bangka Belitung – Pangkal Pinang, Sungailiat, Tanjung Pandan, Manggar, Toboali and Muntok (with Hakka majority) North Sumatra – Medan (Kesawan), Binjai, Lubuk Pakam, Pematangsiantar, Rantau Prapat, Tanjungbalai, Tebing Tinggi, Sibolga (with Hokkien majority) Riau – Pekanbaru, Dumai, Selat Panjang, Bagansiapiapi, Panipahan, Bagan Batu (with Hokkien majority) Riau Islands – Batam, Tanjung Pinang, Tanjung Balai Karimun (with Hokkien majority) South Sumatra – Palembang (with Hakka and Cantonese majority) West Kalimantan – Pontianak, Ketapang, and Bengkayang (with Teochew majority) and Singkawang (with Hakka majority)

"Chinatown" in Indonesian is known as Pecinan or Kampung Cina.

Japan

In Japan, ethnic Chinese immigrants are called . The largest Chinatown in Asia and one of the largest in the world is located in Yokohama and the city of Kobe has a growing Chinatown. Nagasaki's Chinatown (Japanese: , ) was founded in 1698 AD. Most Chinese immigrants in Japan were from Taiwan who arrived during the Japanese colonial period.

Tokyo's Ikebukuro district is home to many ethnic Chinese who arrived in the 1980s. Though in Tokyo, this Chinatown is relatively small and unannounced compared to Yokohama's Chinatown just to the south of the city.

Laos Vientiane contains a Chinatown on Samsenthai Road.

Malaysia

With around a quarter of the Malaysian population of Chinese origin, urban districts with a large concentration of ethnic Chinese are to be found across the country. The term Chinatown is rarely used to refer to such places locally except for tourism purposes—particularly about Petaling Street, the center of Kuala Lumpur's Chinese business district and is predominantly Cantonese-speaking.

In the northern Malaysia, the population of Georgetown on the island of Penang is essentially Hokkien-speaking, and close to 90% of the population is of Chinese origin. Other urban areas with a high proportion of Chinese people in the city center include Kuching (90%), Ipoh (82%), Kota Kinabalu (78%), and Malacca (62%).

In the East Coast region of Malaysia, the city of Kuala Terengganu has an old Chinese settlement known as Kampung Cina. This area, located at the river mouth of Terengganu River that empties into the South China Sea, is one of Southeast Asia's early Chinese settlements (with many of the current buildings dating back to the late 1800s and early 1900s) and contains stately ancestral homes, temples, townhouses, and businesses. It is a significant area to the city's Chinese community and culture, with many heritage buildings. Kampung Cina is also a significant tourist attraction in Kuala Terengganu.

Myanmar

The primary Chinatown in Myanmar is situated in Downtown Yangon within the Lanmadaw township and Latha township. Other Chinatowns exist in Myanmar's major cities, such as Mandalay.

The Kokang Chinese is another significant group in northern Shan State who make up 30–40% of the total Chinese Burmese population. Kokang was founded in 1739 as the Chiefdom of Kokang and became populated by Ming loyalists during the rise of the Qing dynasty. Kokang today is a self-administered zone with a 90% Han Chinese population.

Pakistan

There is a sizeable community of Chinese people in Pakistan, mainly concentrated in urban centers. The areas of Clifton and DHA in Karachi have many Chinese restaurants and businesses and are sometimes dubbed as Chinatown.

Philippines

The best-known Chinatown in the Philippines is the district of Binondo in Manila. Binondo is the oldest Chinatown in the world, having been established in 1594, when the Spanish colonial government of the Philippine islands restricted the residence of Chinese who had converted to Christianity to this area. Unconverted Christians were allotted a different enclave, then called the Parian, which is no longer in existence as a Chinatown.

Many prominent Chinese Filipino families have roots in this district. Among the attractions of Binondo is Divisoria, a shopping area popular for bargain shopping.

Chinese settlement—predominantly Hokkien—in the Philippines pre-dates the arrival of the Spanish in 1521. Chinese merchants have been trading with the indigenous tribes of the islands since the 8th century. During Spanish colonial rule, the Chinese were intermediate in Filipino society as middlemen between the Spanish upper class and the native Filipinos.

During the rule of Ferdinand Marcos, bitterness against Chinese Filipinos grew, starting in 1972. Many of the community went to Venezuela, North America, Australia, among other countries. In the first-ever visit to Manila's Chinatown by a Filipino president, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who is of part Chinese descent herself, recognized the efforts and contributions of Chinese Filipinos.