The Chinese diaspora in Australia

The Chinese government’s demand for support by the Chinese diaspora is hardly unprecedented in historical terms. Many politicians in many countries have attempted to exploit the long-distance nationalism and ethnic sentiments of their diasporas as a means to obtain investment, foreign exchange or votes (for example, Israel, India, Italy, and that’s just the I-countries). This is nothing new.

We need not worry about such rhetoric. The Chinese diaspora in Australia poses no threat. Many of these people have migrated because they do not agree with the Chinese government, or because they seek better lives in a democracy. Many of those who subsequently send back money to their family or invest in China do so because they care about their relatives or because their background and connections provide them with a valuable understanding of business cultural and commercial opportunities in their homeland. It is rarely (if ever) because they have unwavering patriotic support for the government.

Many diasporic people yearn for a homeland that no longer exists, and many come to feel alienated when making return visits after a long time away. For most migrants, the material standard of living in the new country is often superior to that of the old. For these reasons, it is likely that Chinese immigrants, like millions of others, have a greater allegiance to democratic Australian society than they do to the repressive Chinese government. Migrants do not need their homeland to tell them to feel pride in their cultural background. The Chinese government may well find that a drive to enlist overseas Chinese as supporters by making silly-sounding statements about “blood lineage” could easily backfire.