Overseas Chinese in the People's Republic of China (Chinese Worlds)

Overseas Chinese in the People’s Republic of China examines the experiences of a group of persons known officially and collectively in the PRC as "domestic Overseas Chinese". They include family members of overseas migrants who remained in China, refugees fleeing persecution, and former migrants and their descendants who "returned" to the People’s Republic in order to pursue higher education and to serve their motherland. In this book, Glen Peterson describes the nature of the official state project by which domestic Overseas Chinese were incorporated into the economic, political and social structures of the People’s Republic of China in the 1950s, examines the multiple and contradictory meanings associated with being "domestic Overseas Chinese", and explores how "domestic Overseas Chineseness" as political category shaped social experiences and identities. This book fills an important gap in the literature on Chinese migration and Chinese transnationalism and will be an invaluable resource to students and scholars of these subjects, as well as Chinese history and Asian Studies more generally. Economy, Politics and Transnationality in China is about the experiences of a group of persons known officially and collectively in the post-war People?s Republic of China as domestic Overseas Chinese. They included family members of overseas migrants who remained in China, former migrants who had returned permanently to the People?s Republic and ethnic Chinese youth who returned to China in order to pursue higher education and to serve their motherland. The book has three main objectives: first, to understand the nature of the official state project by which domestic Overseas Chinese were incorporated into the economic, political and social structures of the People?s Republic of China in the 1950s; second, to examine the multiple and contradictory meanings associated with being domestic Overseas Chinese; and third, to explore how domestic Overseas Chineseness as political category shaped the social experiences and identity formations of those who were compelled to wear this label. This book will fill an important gap in the literature on Chinese migration and Chinese transnationalism and will be an invaluable resource to students and scholars of these subjects, as well as Chinese history more generally. This book will fill an important gap in the literature on Chinese migration and Chinese transnationalism and will be an invaluable resource to students and scholars of these subjects, as well as Chinese history more generally Cover 1 Overseas Chinese in the People’s Republic of China 6 Copyright 7 Contents 8 Illustrations 9 Acknowledgements 10 Abbreviations 12 1. Introduction 14 2. Transnational families under siege 40 3. Youdai (优待): the making of a special category 68 4. Open for business: the quest for investment and remittances 88 5. Patriots, refugees, tycoons and students: ‘returning’ to China in the 1950s 115 6. Socialist transformation and the end of youdai 151 7. Cultural Revolution and beyond 176 Notes 192 Bibliography 219 Index 235 1 Introduction 1 -- 2 Transnational Families Under Siege 27 -- 3 Youdai: The Making Of A Special Category 55 -- 4 Open For Business: The Quest For Investment And Remittances 75 -- 5 Patriots, Refugees, Tycoons And Students: 'returning' To China In The 1950s 102 -- 6 Socialist Transformation And The End Of Youdai 138 -- 7 Cultural Revolution And Beyond 163. Glen Peterson. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.