KUALA LUMPUR: Striking a balance between heritage and homeland remains a constant challenge for the global Chinese diaspora, says Prof Zhang Zhenjiang of Jinan University.
“The ability to balance one’s identity between China and the host country depends on many factors – immigration policies, social attitudes and the community’s own capacity to integrate,” he said.
“Across the spectrum, some lean more towards their Chinese roots, others towards localisation. But I believe most are able to find balance and benefit from both sides.”
He noted, however, that this balance has come under increasing strain in recent years, particularly in the West.
“Since the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been a noticeable rise in anti-Asian sentiment, especially in the United States,” he said.
“At an academic conference we organised in San Francisco three years ago, I was struck by how many American scholars focused on the issue of Asian hate. Many shared accounts of Chinese or Asian individuals being harassed in public or told to ‘go back to China’.”
He added that even Chinese professionals and scientists were not spared, often facing suspicion, border searches and legal scrutiny.
“These experiences have created anxiety and a growing sense of discrimination among overseas Chinese communities,” he said.
Yet, despite these challenges, Zhang remained optimistic about the diaspora’s resilience.
“While the global climate may be uncertain, I believe the Chinese diaspora will continue to navigate these tensions with wisdom, resilience and a strong sense of belonging in their local societies,” he said at the Forum on Chinese Overseas in a Changing World: Global Networks, Local Realities yesterday.
At the same event, Prof Karen Leigh Harris of the University of Pretoria shared how Chinese communities in South Africa have endured and overcome centuries of discrimination.
“Under apartheid, Chinese people were classified as non-white and faced restrictions in education, housing and civil rights,” she said.
“Then, after 1994, they were reclassified as ‘non-black’, which again excluded them from certain legal protections. The community fought this in court and, after eight years, won recognition as a protected group under South Africa’s equality legislation.”
The landmark decision, she said, opened doors to business opportunities, education and public service for Chinese South Africans.
“The community has shown resilience by asserting their place as South Africans, while celebrating their Chineseness,” Harris said.
