Table Of ContentQiaowu
Chinese Overseas
History, Literature, and Society
Chief Editor
Wang Gungwu
Subject Editors
Evelyn Hu-DeHart, David Der-wei Wang, Wong Siu-lun
Editorial Board
Ien Ang, Shirley Geok-lin Lim, Liu Hong, Frank Pieke,
Elizabeth Sinn, Jing Tsu
VOLUME 8
The titles published in this series are listed at brill.com/cho
Qiaowu
Extra-Territorial Policies for the Overseas Chinese
By
James Jiann Hua To
LEIDEN | BOSTON
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
To, James Jiann Hua.
Qiaowu : extra-territorial policies for the overseas Chinese / by James Jiann Hua To.
pages cm. — (Chinese overseas ; volume 8)
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 978-90-04-27227-9 (hardback : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-90-04-27228-6 (e-book) 1. Chinese—Foreign
countries—Government policy—China. 2. Chinese—Foreign countries—Government policy—Taiwan.
3. Chinese diaspora—Political aspects—China. 4. Chinese diaspora—Political aspects—Taiwan. I. Title.
DS732.T6 2014
305.895’1—dc23
2014007722
This publication has been typeset in the multilingual ‘Brill’ typeface. With over 5,100 characters covering
Latin, ipa, Greek, and Cyrillic, this typeface is especially suitable for use in the humanities.
For more information, please see brill.com/brill-typeface.
issn 1��6-3���
isbn 978 90 04 27227 9 (hardback)
isbn 978 90 04 27228 6 (e-book)
Copyright 2014 by Koninklijke Brill nv, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Koninklijke Brill nv incorporates the imprints Brill, Brill Nijhoff, Global Oriental and Hotei Publishing.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, translated, stored in a retrieval system,
or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise,
without prior written permission from the publisher.
Authorization to photocopy items for internal or personal use is granted by Koninklijke Brill nv provided
that the appropriate fees are paid directly to The Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive,
Suite 910, Danvers, ma 01923, usa. Fees are subject to change.
Brill has made all reasonable efforts to trace all rights holders to any copyrighted material used in this work.
In cases where these efforts have not been successful the publisher welcomes communications from
copyright holders, so that the appropriate acknowledgements can be made in future editions, and to settle
other permission matters.
This book is printed on acid-free paper.
Contents
Preface ix
Notes on the Romanization of Chinese Language xi
List of Acronyms and Abbreviations xii
1 Introduction 1
1.1 Diasporas and Transnational Loyalties 2
1.2 Diasporas and International Relations Theory 5
1.3 Introduction to the Extant Literature 9
1.4 Aims of This Book 12
1.5 Qiaowu and Foreign Relations 14
1.6 Qiaowu and Social Control 15
1.7 Methodology 18
1.8 Layout 21
2 Mobilizing the OC in the Twenty-First Century 23
2.1 Capitalizing on the Olympic Spirit 23
2.2 The 1989 Tiananmen Square Protests 26
2.3 The CCP’s Ideological Work and Influence on PRC Students 28
2.4 The 2008 Olympic Torch Rallies 31
2.5 Another Evolution in Qiaowu 34
2.6 Conclusion 36
3 Unveiling Qiaowu 37
3.1 The Role of the OC for the CCP-Led Party-State 37
3.2 Political Mobilization 39
3.3 Espionage 43
3.4 Unveiling Qiaowu 46
3.5 S ervice for the OC: Qiaowu Cadres and Their United Front
Duties 48
3.6 The CCP’s ‘Guiding Hand’ 52
3.7 A Brief History of Qiaowu Organizational Structure 53
3.8 Origins of the PRC OC Qiaowu Bureaucracy 57
3.9 The “OC Problem” 59
3.10 Domestic Returned OC Work and Internal Chaos 62
3.11 The OC and Their Role in UF Work Abroad 65
3.12 Post-Revolution Qiaowu Policy 68
vi contents
3.13 P olitical Structure of the Qiaowu Administration in the
Contemporary Period 72
3.14 CCP Influence over Qiaowu Affairs 78
3.15 Qiaowu and Intra-Governmental Bureaucracy 81
3.16 Decentralization of Power in Qiaowu Operations 84
3.17 Qiaowu as a Political Opportunity Structure 87
3.18 Conclusion 88
4 Targets and Subjects of Qiaowu 90
4.1 ROC Definition of the OC 91
4.2 Taiwanization of ROC Qiaowu Operations 92
4.3 “Three Classifications”: The ROC’s Redefinition of Huaqiao 95
4.4 Damage Control 98
4.5 Name Changes 100
4.6 ROC OC Organs in the Contemporary Period 103
4.7 Rebuilding Links 105
4.8 PRC Definition of the OC 108
4.9 Distinguishing Huaqiao from Huaren 109
4.10 Xinqiao—Leading the Change in OC Demographics 114
4.11 Elite OC 115
4.12 Dual Nationality and the OC 121
4.13 Conclusion 124
5 Cultural Work: Reconstructing ‘Chineseness’ 126
5.1 Theories of Ethnic Belonging 127
5.2 ‘Chineseness’ 131
5.3 ROC Cultural and Educational Work 133
5.4 PRC Educational Work 136
5.5 PRC External OC Education 140
5.6 Confucius Institutes 141
5.7 Problems Regarding PRC OC Education 142
5.8 Challenging Alternative Forms of ‘Chineseness’ 145
5.9 OC Church Work 149
5.10 Earthquake Diplomacy 151
5.11 Evaluation of Nationalism and the OC 152
5.12 Conclusion 156
6 Cultural Work: Reconnection 158
6.1 Active Reconnection: Tours and Root-Seeking 158
6.2 Xungen—Falling Leaves Return to Their Roots 161
contents vii
6.3 Building Links 163
6.4 ROC OC Youth Work 165
6.5 PRC OC Youth Work 168
6.6 Comparison of Youth Work 169
6.7 Development of Youth Work 171
6.8 Soft Power and the OC Media 173
6.9 Borrowing Ships to Go to Sea 176
6.10 Managing OC Reporters 181
6.11 New Technology: Television and Radio 183
6.12 Qiaowu and the Internet 185
6.13 Conclusion 189
7 External Work: Threats & Challenges 191
7.1 The OC as Threats to the CCP 192
7.2 The OC Pro-Democracy Movement 194
7.3 The Taiwanese Independence Movement 195
7.4 Falungong 196
7.5 T ibetan Buddhism and the Xinjiang Independence
Movement 197
7.6 Cooptation 200
7.7 We Are Family: “Grand Unification Nationalism” 205
7.8 China Embraces All OC: Winning Over the Moderates 207
7.9 Pre-Emptive Subversion 208
7.10 “Welcome In” 209
7.11 “Going Outside” 212
7.12 Transformation Work 215
7.13 Coercion 218
7.14 “Divide-and-Rule” 219
7.15 Diplomatic Pressure 221
7.16 Conclusion 225
8 External Work: Diplomatic Assistance 227
8.1 The PRC and Protection of the OC 227
8.2 1998 Indonesian Riots: A Turning Point in OC Affairs 232
8.3 ROC Protection for OC 235
8.4 Modern PRC Diplomatic Protection 239
8.5 The Limits of PRC Consular Assistance 245
8.6 The OC and Implications for PRC Foreign Policy 248
8.7 Conclusion 251
viii contents
9 The Future of Qiaowu 253
9.1 OC Trade, Investment, and Migration 254
9.2 I llegal Migration and Transnational Criminal Activity in the
Pacific 256
9.3 P assing on Responsibility for Migrant Behaviour and Illegal
Migration 258
9.4 PRC Views on Illegal Migration 261
9.5 “Unqualified” Chinese 263
9.6 Raising China’s Image: Getting Along Together 264
9.7 From “Three Knives” to “Six Masters” 269
9.8 “Old Friends”, “New Friends” 271
9.9 Capacity-Building 273
9.10 Conclusion 277
10 Conclusion 280
10.1 From Strength to Strength: The Evolution of Qiaowu 281
10.2 Consolidating Power and Eliminating Rivals 282
10.3 Implications for the World 283
10.4 Conclusion 285
11 Bibliography 287
Index 348
Preface
This book is based upon my doctoral dissertation—the product of five years of inten-
sive research into a subject that is very close to my heart. It first began as a study
of finding my own identity as an ethnic Chinese person living in New Zealand. My
research then gradually took on a regional focus by examining case studies throughout
the Pacific. In the end, it evolved into an examination of the ramifications and impli-
cations of the connections between all Overseas Chinese (OC), China, and Taiwan in
an international context. Several of the examples cited come from my own firsthand
experience in the OC community and my participation in international OC organiza-
tions, but I attribute many of my findings to my vast network of family, friends, and
colleagues throughout New Zealand and around the world.
Some of the information in this book has been previously published—the major
examples being “Sino-Pacifica: Extra-Territorial Influence and the Overseas Chinese,”
in Looking North, Looking South: China, Taiwan & the South Pacific, edited by Anne-
Marie Brady (World Scientific, 2010); “Hand-in-Hand, Heart-to-Heart: Thought
Management and the Overseas Chinese,” in Thought Management: China’s Modernized
Propaganda Work, edited by Anne-Marie Brady (Routledge, 2012); and “Beijing’s
Policies for Managing Han and Ethnic Minority Chinese Communities Abroad” in
Journal of Current Chinese Affairs, Vol. 41, No. 4, 2012.
Firstly, I would like to acknowledge and thank my primary supervisor Assoc. Prof.
Anne-Marie Brady. She has provided me with plenty of encouragement, construc-
tive comments, and criticism throughout my under and postgraduate years at the
University of Canterbury. She was instrumental in patiently guiding me through my
research methodology—particularly in finding my focus, highlighting the crucial
aspects of my topic, offering advice for accessing essential data, and giving me the
opportunities to present my research to a wider audience.
I also wish to thank my secondary supervisors: Assoc. Prof. John Henderson, who
introduced me to the topic of China in the Pacific, and has since provided useful advice
concerning my thesis presentation; and Assoc. Prof. Alex Tan, who offered inspiration
and ideas in the early days of my research—particularly with connecting me with
his contacts in Taiwan. It was a great privilege to study under the guidance of such a
knowledgeable supervisory team.
I also must thank both of my external examiners for my original dissertation
Prof Flemming Christiansen and Prof Mette Thuno, who provided me with valuable
feedback by identifying areas for improvement and clarification. I would also like to
thank the anonymous reviewer of my manuscript, who made many useful suggestions
which led to the final publication of my research.
x preface
I would like to make a special mention of thanks to Dr Bruce Harding. In addition to
proof-reading my manuscript, he also played an important role in developing my com-
munication skills as my English teacher at Christchurch Boys’ High School, for which
I will be eternally grateful.
My gratitude also go to Mrs Jill Dolby for helping me with many useful suggestions
pertaining to my original dissertation.
I am also grateful to those who kindly assisted my research through interviews and
correspondence. Without their input, this work would have been impossible to com-
plete. Of particular mention, I wish to thank the academics and qiaowu cadres who
provided me with vital primary and secondary source information during fieldwork in
Beijing and Guangzhou. I would also like to thank the many diplomats, experts, and
representatives of various organizations who placed their confidence in me by offer-
ing important information and interesting practical examples in a professional and
responsible manner.
Finally, I would like to make a special acknowledgement to the Poll Tax Heritage
Trust, the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Asia New Zealand
Foundation, and the New Zealand Asia Studies Society for granting funding assistance
towards travel and accommodation expenses associated with the research.
