The aim of this paper is to illuminate the processes of elite formation,consolidation,and diversitfication within the greater Chinese immigrant community in the United States.We attempt to examine the following:(1)under what conditions ethnic elite groups emerge and how social networks and broader structural forces affect their development;(2)how the dialectic of cohesion and conflict is inherent in the structure,operation,and relationships of various elite groups;and (3)how the new alignment of elite groups helps strengthen the foothold of the Chinese immigrant community in American society.