14 - The Impact of Beijing's Changing Policy

Summary

As the Chinese overseas are not a homogeneous group, and their situation differs from country to country, it is difficult to make generalizations regarding the impact of Beijing's changing policies on them. Nevertheless, this chapter discusses some broad and general impacts of China's changing policies on the Chinese overseas in Southeast Asia, with special reference to three countries: Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia. It concludes with a brief comment on the responses of some governments in the region.

GENERAL IMPACT ON THE CHINESE OVERSEAS

For ethnic Chinese businessmen who have business links with mainland China, the rise of China and the opportunities it allows them are a welcome development. Some are proud that China considers them a part of the great Chinese nation, probably unaware of the political implications of being grouped as such.

However, many are uncomfortable to be called huaqiao again as they are no longer citizens of the PRC. They are aware that they live in Southeast Asia, where local nationalism is at its height. They know that their political loyalties might be questioned by the indigenous people and governments of their adopted countries. This is particularly the case as China becomes more assertive in the South China Sea, which may affect ethnic relations in the Southeast Asian states that have territorial dispute with Beijing.

Most of the Chinese who moved to Southeast Asia before the new waves of Chinese migration have become local citizens, but many new migrants may not have qualified for citizenship or become citizens yet. New migrants who have been naturalized may still have strong links with China and may welcome having dual nationality status, but the majority of local–born Chinese and earlier migrants do not want dual nationality, fearing that their loyalties would be questioned by the governments and peoples of their adopted lands. This is the case not only in Southeast Asia, but also in many other countries.

Moreover, China's recent tendency to blur the distinction between huaqiao and huaren and its appeals to Chinse transnationalism are likely to have a negative impact on nation–building, especially in Southeast Asia, where the process is relatively new. The impact would be more serious for those new Chinese migrants who have been naturalized and expect to be accepted as loyal citizens of their adopted countries.