Time to seize the opportunity

Political expression integral to protect interests of Chinese diaspora in Europe

Zhang Chengliang / China Daily

Despite having an established presence of over 300 years in Europe, the Chinese diaspora have been relatively one-dimensional in their approach.

Though they are hardworking, they often tend to adopt a low profile and are more at home with the traditional Chinese way of life. They have also been limited by their economic status and the inability to master European languages and culture.

Although many of them have made significant contributions to the development of Europe, they continue to be the silent and slightly "disadvantaged minority" among the many other foreign populations in Europe. As a result their interests are often given short shrift by European governments when it comes to the policies for ethnic groups.

But in the last 10 years, China's national strength has increased considerably and so also its trade and economic ties with Europe. The number of Chinese people living in Europe has also grown rapidly - to nearly 3 million. The overall economic status of the Chinese diaspora in Europe has improved considerably along with their expansion into various other businesses. People of Chinese origin are no longer perceived as labor. Rather they have moved up in scale and class with some of them being prominent members of the upper crust.

With more students from the mainland coming to Europe for education, there have also been marked improvements in the language and cultural capabilities of the Chinese diaspora.

All of these changes have also had an impact on the way Chinese people are perceived in Europe. Not only has their economic status improved, but also the social interactions with locals. Language and cultural barriers have started to come down and more Chinese are now conscious of protecting their rights. When their interests are infringed, they are no longer silent, nor do they want to be neglected.

Though many people of Chinese origin are not familiar with or interested in Western politics, such knowledge is essential for safeguarding interests. In a society, citizens should have the means and wherewithal to express political opinion in such a manner as to influence government policy.

Political means of expression, either institutional or non-institutional, include political rallies, petitions and speeches. The main purpose of political expression is to form a collective opinion that can influence the policy-making process.

For Chinese descendants living in Europe, it is important to ensure their safety through political expression. Many Chinese descendants have been victims of social injustice in Europe in recent years. There have been some incidents in which the Chinese diaspora was the main target of violent attacks and looting.

With little sense of ethnic group solidarity and participation in the past, many European Chinese have mostly preferred to remain silent. But in recent years, the awareness of their collective rights has greatly enhanced and they have decided to put it into action.

Many Chinese associations in France staged a protest march in June 2010, against the frequent attacks and looting of Chinese establishments in Europe. It was one of the major efforts by the Chinese diaspora in Europe to stand together for their collective rights.

At the same time the Chinese descendants also have to protect their economic interests. Though they have been expanding their businesses in Europe, the unique methods and lack of communication with the local community, have triggered violent reactions/incidents against Chinese diaspora in Spain, Britain and France. The Chinese descendants have also taken actions to protect their image and their group interests. In 2008, the Chinese diaspora protested against the local media for discrediting and defaming China's image in Europe.

Many of these efforts have borne fruit as Chinese living in Europe are now more aware of their rights and ready to fight for them. But it is also important for the Chinese diaspora to improve and perfect their style of expression.

In addition to collective rights, the Chinese living in Europe should also actively participate in politics, by using democratic methods to achieve a reasonable and legitimate political expression. Since most European countries implement multi-party electoral politics, the political arena is set to see constant changes.

There could also be swings in the social policies for immigrants, an action that will have a significant impact on the survival and development of overseas Chinese in Europe. Therefore the Chinese must participate in politics to exert influence on policies that are of importance to them.

In Europe, Chinese participation in politics has already had a certain foundation, while in the UK, it was more as local councilors. Since the election victory of the first Chinese descendant for the district council election in 1986, nearly 20 people have served as local councilors in the UK in the past 20 years.

With the Chinese diaspora growing in strength, both economically and in terms of numbers, political parties in the UK can no longer turn a blind eye to the large number of Chinese voters. So much so that lobbying for the interests of the Chinese community has gradually evolved into a "collective voice".

The Chinese lobbying was evident during the drafting of the new immigration, asylum and nationality law in the UK. Along with Indian, Turkish immigrants and other ethnic minority groups, the Chinese presented a petition to the British Parliament to urge the government to accept a number of suggestions.

Chinese participation in French politics has also witnessed considerable progress. During French municipal elections in 2008, there was an increase in the number of Chinese for direct election, with seven Chinese candidates for some 20 constituencies in Paris. In other provinces and cities outside Paris, six Chinese were included in the list of candidates for local municipal elections. Major political parties also roped in Chinese campaigners for the general elections.

In Italy, Spain and other countries in southern Europe, Chinese have been the main source of new immigrants in recent years. As such they have also been showing a proactive posture when it comes to political participation.

The real aim of Chinese participation in European political affairs must be to achieve better integration with local communities and culture. Many European nations like Germany, France and Italy have launched social integration plans for the Chinese diaspora so as to create a positive atmosphere and remove integration obstacles. These European governments also provide employment opportunities for well-educated Chinese to work in government departments at different levels.

Many of these efforts have found favor with Chinese communities and helped change their perception, triggering better understanding in Europe.

For instance, Chinese communities have established close contacts with Dutch welfare and immigration services to further help Chinese community gain more legitimate social benefits and policy supports.

Furthermore, the Chinese communities in Europe also attach great importance to communication with local residents, organize charity events and provide financial aid to European regions suffering natural disasters and handicapped groups.

Of course, for the Chinese living in Europe, there is still a long way to go in the process of rights protection and political participation, and they also need to keep learning and accumulate wisdom.

In European societies that are still enveloped by doubts and fears of the development of China, the Chinese rights activists should pay attention to their skills when it comes to political expression. They should first solve problems through legal and political means to take the moral and legal high ground, while at the same time, avoid emotional confrontation between China and Europe. Care should be taken to avoid the intervention of nationalistic forces, and there should be a gradually more tolerant, rational patriotism.

The author is director of European Studies at the China Institute of International Studies.