of this discontent.
Kuomintang
revolutionaries were quick to pick up
the misfortune of overseas Chinese as a political issue to blame the
Ching
regime for her failure to protect basic human rights and life for
47
Chinese nationals abroad.
Protecting Chinese abroad, by seeking recognition of Chinese human
rights and equal treatment, became one of the major political campaigns
in the Kuomintang revolts. Throughout this political campaign, Chinese
misfits were very much highlight and sensationalized. It became a
deadly weapon against the Ching regime. Some scholars have argued that
the Ching regime was not that bad in its record of protection of
48
overseas Chinese. But without doubt, the Kuomintang success in seizing
power from the Ching regime was basically built on the reputation of
Ching's failure in protecting Chinese abroad.
The issue of protection of Chinese nationals abroad, and related
emigration and naturalization, have become very
issues such as
sensationalized
and
politiczed.
In fact, the legitimacy of a regime,
its image as worthy of its mandate, is very dependent on this matter.
Political leaders try to exploit this issue to damage political
opponents. The Kuomintang did it to the Ching dynasty; SO did the
Communists when they revolted against the Kuomintang. This chain effect
cannot be ignored when observing emigration and naturalization policies
of contemporary China. The Ching regime under-emphasized
49
this matter,
while the Kuomintang had overplayed its hand. This made it difficult
for their successor to balance matters of emigration and naturalization.
government to protect
The politically safe way for a Chinese
Chinese overseas is to refuse to recognize their rights of emigration
and naturalization, thus avoiding charges of selling-out.
This explains
why neither the Kuomintang nor Communist China is yet ready to yield
when they handling emigration and naturalization. It happened under the
- 19
i
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.