The country's first yearly migration report, released on Monday, reveals that 150,000 Chinese citizens emigrated to the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand in 2011, and of them some 87,000 gained permanent residency in the United States. But what is noteworthy is the fact that 27 percent of entrepreneurs whose wealth has exceeded 100 million yuan ($16.4 billion) have already emigrated and another 47 percent are considering following suit.

Why are they leaving their motherland, whose economy is growing the fastest in the world and whose environment should be the most suitable for them to make an even greater fortune?

Some said they wanted their children to receive better education in developed countries, and some said the cleaner air and better ecological environment were the attractions.