vagueness of the naturalization system, to decide naturalization
at their Own
D
cases
camprice and for their own corruptive interest. These
scholars and observers
had also believed that her denial of
denaturalization of the Chinese was provoked in part by abuses of the
lax naturalization laws of some foreign countries.
57
There is no doubt that some countries had abused their
naturalization law for political and pecuniary reasons. When one takes
into consideration cases that occurred in China, one would have good
to defend China for being SO negative on the issue of
reason
denaturalization of Chinese. But when one takes into consideration the
British approach to the naturalization of Chinese abroad, especially in
British colonies, and furthermore, when one finds that the enactment of
the Nationality law has not come about as observers and scholars had
expected, it becomes difficult to defend China for being negative.
Reference has been made to the cooperative, legalistic and moderate
attitude of the British towards the naturalization of Chinese.
Sympathetic scholars, like MacNair and Tsai Chu-fung,
the British were more cautious and less enthusiastic
Chinese, unlike the Portugese and the Dutch,
naturalize Chinese, but also often abused the
pointed out that
in naturalizing
who were not only keen to
naturalization law for
58
political reasons.
When cases of abuse
concerned, British
representatives
became irritating to many
demonstrated understanding and
cooperation in the Mixed Court. It had taken opportunities to decry the
validity of naturalization of Chinese by the Portugese, which led to
China defending herself over the issue of abuse
of the
naturalization
59
law in Macau.
Denaturalized Chinese often concealed their foreign national status
in order to take advantage of privileges given only to Chinese
Knowing this, the British took initiative in 1866 to issue a
nationals.
23