in
representatives, from major Chinese organizations all over Indonesia who
gathered together to protest the Dutch attempt to naturalize Chinese
Indonesia, pledged that China should adapt jus sanguinis, so that no
matter how far they go, how long ago they left home, they still will be
Chinese. It was important simply because Chinese abroad far outnumbered
foreigners in China. By adapting jus sanguinis, China had nothing to
lose, but everything to gain.
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These representatives not only pushed China to adapt jus sanguinis
as part of its nationality law, but also imposed social, political, and
economic pressure to force Chinese to comply with their pledge not to
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accept naturalization as Dutch subjects. Since naturalization became a
major issue, if not a crisis between China and the Dutch, and resulted
in the enactment of the first Chinese nationality law in history, it is
obvious that the jus sanguinis was adapted partly because of Chinese
campaigns abroad. This
campaign left a lasting impact on Chinese
perception of remaining Chinese forever.
By the time the Kuomintang came to power, China continually faced
the threat of foreign invasion. To save China and to save the Chinese
became the cry in Chinese contemporary history. Under this environment,
jus sanguinis as a legal principle had further strengthened, even though
it had caused problems of dual nationality, especially in the region of
Southeast Asia. The Kuomintang won the mandate of the people by
stressing Ching's failure in protection of overseas Chinese.
played this game, it could hardly yield to other countries
During pre- and post-World War II,
issue of naturalization.
When it
over the
when China
had finally overcome her warlords and solidified her power under the
Kuomintang regime, the region of Southeast Asia also moved into the mood
of national independence. When this happened, anti-Chinese campagins by
indigenous workers worsened,
aiming at disarming colonists and their
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