powers concerned,
through proper diplomatic channels,
China tried to
disturb the issue through various measures, such as by forcing a treaty
with the British to protect business rights of the Chinese, by imposing
registration
of all Chinese, including those foreign born, and by
promoting a narrow nationalism of China. All these measures seem to
show that China would be pleased only after all Chinese had given up
their British citizenship.
Secondly, in Singapore,
the Legislative Council has now proceeded
with its second reading on a bill aimed at disqualifying voting rights
acquired a passport issued by Chinese
for British subjects who had
authorities under any regime.
the national policy of China, it has destroyed the hope of holding dual
citizenship and has forced local Chinese to choose either to remain
Even if this bill is not directed against
British or Chinese.'
"I
This editorial disclosed that the British authorities in the Strait
colonies and Strait Settlement of Malaya were very much irritated by
China, both in the Ching period and in the Kuomintang period, for their
non-recognition policy of Chinese British subjects. of their colonies.
It is even more interesting to see that this naturalization case of 1948
in British colonies, disclosed not only the attitude of the
and the Ching regime, but also that of the Communists.
Kuomintang
In 1948, the civil war of China was approaching its end,
Kuomintang almost completely overwhelmed. The Communists
actively
with the
were already
Communist
Party of Malaya, with
involved on foreign fronts through their agents in the region.
When the 1948 nationality law and independence issue came up, the
its members Chinese,
over 90% of
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