Goh Sui Noi
China encourages overseas Chinese to engage with locals in their receiving countries and respect their laws, culture and traditions just as it expects foreigners in China to do likewise, a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) official has said.
"We ask them to respect the laws and regulations of the countries they live in and respect the culture, history and way of life in those countries," said Mr Zhang Yijiong, vice-minister of the CCP's United Front Work Department. The unit manages the party's relations with non-CCP individuals and organisations both inside China and outside the mainland, including in Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and beyond.
Mr Zhang was responding to a question on how his department's work to mobilise overseas Chinese to protect China's core interests has been seen in countries like Australia and New Zealand as possibly undermining the sovereignty and political systems of those countries.Earlier at the press conference yesterday on the sidelines of the ongoing national congress of the CCP, Mr Zhang said his department had "drawn a wide range of overseas Chinese to promote the reform and development of the country and defend the country's core interests".
It had guided overseas Chinese nationals in "advancing peaceful reunification of the country and defending the country's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests".
His remarks came amid growing concern about China's efforts to influence Australian politicians and public debate, including bids to affect activities on university campuses. There have been campaigns by Australian Chinese online media and Chinese diplomats that targeted academic staff at universities over teaching material deemed "offensive". In one case, Taiwan and Hong Kong were listed as countries.
http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/china-urges-overseas-citizens-to-respect-host-nations-laws
