| Transcript |
■
we fine! the enemy holding the trumps.
But our hands are not tie-el in Asia.
There is action that can be taken, particularly if the seating of Reel China is
defeated this year and we- have a year
of grace. Ancl as important as it is to
block this move, it is equally important
to develop positive action, to provide
an antidote for the poison of Red
neutralism.
While- all the nations of Asia are
involved in the struggle that lies
ahead, it can be properly evaluated
only if the historical importance of the
overseas Chinese is understood. These
are the 12-million-odd Chinese who
live, neither on Formosa nor in Red
China, but are scattered in vast com-
ni11 nities and isolated farms all
through Asia from Hong Kong southward. It is against these Chinese that
the Communists have directed their
programs of propaganda and terrorism. It is among these Chinese that the
Heels have made most progress. And it
is by understanding how this has been
accomplished that the Free World
may be able to block the further expansion of communism in Asia.
Industrious Character of Chinese
For centuries the Chint*se from the
two south coastal provinces of Fukien
and Kwangtung have been adventurers and seafarers. In the tenth century
South China junks penetrated as far
east as the Arabian and Red Seas. The
native populations of Southeast Asia,
made up of Malays and numerous
aboriginal tribes, have never been
known for industry or business acumen. It was the immigrant Chinese,
some-times merely exploring, or peer-
Page 4
haps escaping from a revolution in
China, or moving because of flood or
famine, who began the development
of the area.
When the British began to develop
Singapore in the early nineteenth century, they sent recruiters northward to
find Chinese. When the Rajah Brooke
on Sarawak wanted to develop his
little kingdom in the jungles of Borneo,
he found a Chinese who had been resident for some years, and sent him
back home to the Fukien coast to get
colonists. When the Buddhist leaders
of Thailand wished to build a great
city of gleaming temples in Bangkok,
they sent to China, and Chinese artisans did the job.
Anil thus it is that there are 893,000
Chinese among Singapore's present
population of 1,100,000. In Sarawak
there are 260,000 Chinese, making up
nearly 30 per cent of the total population, and in complete control of business life.
Altoge-ther there- are- 12,5(X),000 overseas Chinese. Nearly 50 per cent of the
population of the Federated Malay
States is Chinese; there are three million Chinese in Indonesia, one million
in Viet-Nam, and three million in
Thailand. Of Hong Kong's 2,400,000
people. 2,225.000 are Chinese.
All through Asia, from the borders
of China southward through India and
eastward to Burma, the Chinese control business; they publish Chinese
language newspapers, operate Chinese
language schools, and worship in Chinese language churches.
Industry Plus Wealth
Equals Jealousy
Human nature being what it is,
native peoples were freejuently jealous of the industrious and frequently
wealthy Chinese. And even though
frequently invited to settle in Southeast Asia, the overseas Chinese was
often discriminated against. In British-
controlled areas there was no schooling provided for the overseas Chinese
for many years. In British Sarawak
there was no high school at all until
1948!
Very few Chinese cared to attend
the British-operated public schools
which, to this day, base- a curriculum
aimed at preparing a youth to pass the
Cambridge examinations. Children in
Malaya, North Borneo anel Singapore-
study the same fairy tales and children's tales read by British children.
In geography they learn the names of
all the members of the commonwealth
Free China is now producing much of its own
fertilizer.
and colonies. In a part of the world
where snow is never seen, children
read about snow and ice skating.
Thus, not being assimilated in 1 *'s
adopted country, the overseas Chines1'
has always looked north to China. TM
old-style families want their children
to go back to China, at least for a visit-
And the old folks want to be buried i"
the good earth of China. Unable- '■'
properly educate their children in 'I"'
few schools provided by the British
Dutch, French, and Thais, the Chines''
communities began to establish the'*
own schools. The Revolution of 1911'
12 in China, overthrowing the Maiic'i"
throne and establishing a republic-
gave the overseas Chinese new prid*
in their homeland, anel gave tremendous impetus to education and thf
establishment of Chinese languaj?
newspapers.
It is only natural that the oversea*
Chinese have always looked to Chin*
Discriminated against by the British
Dutch, ancl French rulers of Southea-"
Asia, they were forced to keep the1'
home ties, and were forced to educn"'
their children as Chinese children-
Red Campaign Bars No Holds
The Chinese Communists, \v*1
moved into Southeast Asia even bef°r
they had defeated the National-!**]
for over a decade have cleverly a".
thoroughly exploited the overseas CD
nese. No holds have been barred
this Red campaign. The Reels h--'',
moved swiftly to control the ChiO-'J
language press, to infiltrate the iic'ar:
1.8(H) Chinese schools, and to establ-^
control of labor unions in pre-di'"1
nantly Chinese Singapore. They I'-'1
Facts Foiu'm News, October, $
Car
|
