China Beyond the Heartland - Overseas Chinese

7 important questions on China Beyond the Heartland - Overseas Chinese

During the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing empires, Chinese traded with many other Asian countries. However, most Chinese only traveled for business trips. From the 16th century onward, the Chinese started to settle in these countries. What brought about this change?

In the 16th century, the Europeans arrived and created/captured Macau, Manila (Philippines), Melaka (Malaya) and Batavia (Java) and other ports and they encouraged Chinese merchants and artisans to move there. Chinese traders indeed settled there and brought along Chinese wives and established Chinese communities, of which many became prosperous for trading activities.

What was the main source of income for overseas Chinese?

Trade with China. The wealthiest families made fortunes by acting as an intermediary in trade transactions between China and non-Chinese in Asia, Europe or the Americas.

Why did Chinese abroad not ask China's leaders for assistance in dealing with governments and societies of their adopted lands until after the Opium Wars?

Because before the Opium Wars, emigration was forbidden under penalty of death (in order to control rebel and piracy). The treaties imposed after the Opium Wars forced the Chinese emperors to allow emigration, while giving China the right to protect its subjects living abroad.
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What did China do to protect its subject living abroad?

  • It sent ambassadors and consuls to foreign capitals and trading cities. They could assist when the Chinese abroad encountered problems in their adopted countries and they could intercede against abuses of laborers. 

  • It began to support schools for Chinese in Southeast Asian countries.

  • It conferred citizenship on overseas Chinese and their children.

What did the Chinese government encourage Chinese living abroad to do in exchange for assistance?

They encouraged them to send money home to relatives. 

What was the consequence of receiving assistance from China in living abroad?

The overseas Chinese isolated themselves from the social and political life of their adopted lands. They mainly interested themselves in the politics and economy of China. This in turn reinforced the inclination of China's government to treat the overseas Chinese as continuing subjects of China. It also helped to end the Qing dynasty.

How did the overseas Chinese help to end the Qing dynasty?

The Revive China Society, which started the Kuomintang and Republican Movements, was born among overseas Chinese studying abroad and it benefited from financial contributions of the overseas Chinese. 

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