Michael Goh: I AM CHINESE. DO READ IN FULL

Michael Goh: I AM CHINESE. DO READ IN FULL

I am one of the approximately 70 million Chinese living outside China, most of us are not even born in China and yet we are caught between trying to be good citizens of our adopted country and the realization that non-Chinese will always see us as Chinese whenever we conduct ourselves not in line with their accepted set of behaviour and agree with their thinking and values. It is a conditional acceptance.

Before I went to England for my studies, I never felt like a Chinese in Singapore. I felt that I am a Singaporean, as I was born there. I don’t even feel much attachment to the land that my father came from. It was only in England that I realized that people sees me as Chinese. I began to explore my ancestral roots and became very proud of my culture and history of the Chinese Civilization.

However, it is sad to read about the history of overseas Chinese, so many were discriminated, killed, bullied, just because they have Chinese roots. To me, God made the human race and there should be only one race, irregardless of the colour of our skin. Our blood are all red and souls that God loves equally.

Let us join in prayer that the non-Chinese will be able to accept those of Chinese roots as just a member of the human race. Let us pray that one day, racial discrimination will be a thing of the past.

Received from Tony Pang Esq., and edited by E. Cheong:

My thoughts on migration and dilemma of the Chinese diaspora

Malaysian Chinese are children of migrants who were escaping from abject poverty and a crumbling social order arising from feudalism and colonialism.

We were a colonised, displaced and uprooted people; our way of life, culture, religion and language disrupted and in some cases supplanted by the colonialists.

Although the colonialists have left us, the legacies linger on. They are still in control of our minds, believes and financial systems through their media and world financial institutions. It would take generations for to break free and to heal.

The Chinese diaspora have suffered oppressions, discriminations and outright massacres in many countries.

The Kiwis and Aussies white occupier -colonialists have a history of oppressing Chinese who were initially brought to NZ and Australia to work in the gold mines. When the Whites saw the skills and diligence of the Chinese, they feared that the Chinese will overtake them financially and numerically. To sabotage and preempt the hardworking Chinese, the political masters of the whites introduced special poll taxes and restrictions on migration and on the Chinese. In recent years, due to the rising power of China, the ruling class of Australia & NZ have resurrected the ”yellow peril” bogey to consolidate their power.

The Yankee treatment of the Chinese in America was even worse. From the 1860s, Chinese labour was imported on a massive scale to build the 3,077km long American transcontinental railway line. On completion of the railway in 1869, Chinese communities had sprung up along the corridor of the western railway line. James Bradley, the author of “China Mirage” said that a more accurate portrayal of the American West countryside scene of that time would be John Wayne in his movies, going to Chinese hardware stores to buy guns and bullets, then stayed at Chinese operated motels and had meals in Chinese restaurants.

The American Congress then introduced the Page Act in 1875, which banned Chinese women from emigrating from China to the United States. This was followed by the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882, prohibiting Chinese migration to American soil. The hatred whipped up by American politicians and media prior to and in the aftermath of the Act resulted in White Americans persecuting, beating, torturing, murdering, and driving Chinese out of America.

In 1949, Chairman Mao defeated America’s lackey and proxy, Chiang Kai-Shek during China‘s great Civil War. In the 1950s, Field Marshall Lin Biao fought Gen MacArthur and brought his ambition to colonize the Korean Peninsular to a halt. During the Korean war 1950-53, hostilities against the Chinese in particular were heightened by Senator Joseph McCarthy. The era of McCarthyism involved witch hunts and malicious accusations against prominent Chinese American scientists and engineers. That led to the detention and imprisonment of a top Chinese rocket scientist, Qian Xuesen. Qian was detained when he wanted to return to China and he was under house arrest imprisoned for 5 years from 1950 to 1955.

Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai managed to secure the freedom and return to China of Qian in exchange for 11 American Prisoner of War, who were captured by the Chinese during the Korean war.
On his return to China, Qian led China in developing the nuclear bombs, missiles and sending satellite into space (in Chinese, they are popularly referred to as 两弹一星 ”指 的是原子弹、氢弹和人造卫星).
The fate of Overseas Chinese in some Asian countries were no better :

The Philippines, Year 1603, 1639, 1662 – on each occasion, tens of thousands Chinese were massacred by the Spanish and their Filipino allies for fear they were plotting rebellion against the colonialist.

India, year 1962 – during and in the aftermath of Sino-Indo border clash, 7,500 Chinese were forced to leave India and at least 10,000 Chinese who have settled in India for generations were detained, persecuted and properties confiscated. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sino-Indian_War

Indonesia, year 1740 – thousands of ethnic Chinese were killed by Dutch colonialists and natives due to economic rivalry..

Indonesia, year 1965 – in a coup de tat instigated and backed by the CIA, 500,000 to one million ethnic Chinese were murdered by Suharto’s henchmen. Chinese schools closed and properties confiscated.

Indonesia 1998 – thousands of ethnic Chinese killed and properties looted and burned by Indonesian natives and soldiers instigated by Suharto last gasp effort to stay in power.

Malaysia 1969 – thousands of ethnic Chinese killed in anti-Chinese riots master mind by the young turks in the Malay political party, UMNO who seized power and the rights to the country’s coffer. In the aftermath of the rioting, institutionalised discriminatory policies against non Malays were enacted into law.

Vietnam circa 1975, up to a million ethnic Chinese were harassed, persecuted and forced to flee South Vietnam in rickety boats to neighbouring countries.

Mexico, Peru Latin America – Chinese faced varying degrees of discriminations and persecutions.

In my opinion, no matter where we are, it’s important to be in touch with our cultural roots, language and values.

The Taoist-Confucian-Buddhist values of filial piety, integrity, modesty should always be cultivated and retained. Always be guided by the Confucius dictum : 修身,齐家,治国,平天下 (Cultivate self, establish family, govern the country well before spread peace to the world ).

Also integrate into the society of the country we live in. Cultivate friendship with native people and contribution to the community and country. Those who are capable and have the resources should participate in the development of the country by taking up public office.

At times there are conflict of interests and loyalty between one’s country of residence and our ancestors’ land. In this respect, we have to look the matter from the position based on principles. As an example, when the western governments are ganging up to demonise, smear and spread lies about China, it’s our duty and role to correct the misrepresentations.

Currently, we can see clearly the main contradiction in the world is the struggle of China against Imperialist USA.

Chinese legitimate right to develop their country, bring peace and prosperity to themselves and the World should be supported by all the peace loving people in the world…