Author: GOOD_MAN
Date: 09-18-07 03:35

Although we agree every country should formulate its own immigration laws in accordance with its national interest, there are some things that every country should consider its national interest to support or protect, such as its sovereign territory, the safety of its citizens, the value of its currency and assets, and the international recognition of its statehood.

For countries that have a long history with an ancient culture, and thus, a larger ethnic diaspora abroad, providing its ethnic diaspora with the proper cultural support and facilitating its renewal of its roots in future generations with cross-immigration back to its cultural homeland that enriches both parties, is a natural and prevalent national interest as well.

This benefit becomes a moral imperative if the ethnic diaspora of such a country continue to suffer racial discrimination and face unequal treatment as citizens of other countries, such as the Chinese Malaysians, for example.

It is well known and historically verifiable that the Jewish people have been the object of racial persecution and discrimination in many countries of the world, excepting ancient China, and a few other countries. Thus, the Law of Return of Israel has become a model for other countries that face the same dilemma of how to treat its overseas ethnic diaspora.

The gist of the Law of Return is to keep things as simple and practicable as possible. Although there is a requirement for the applicant to prove Jewish maternity, proving the Jewishness of one’s mother is altogether another matter that can be determined by a simple interview and review of any personal effects and biographical records. How can you demand absolute proof of a refugee of foreign racial discrimination, a system that denies the Jewish people of the convenience of being a registered national of Israel with passport, since its physical existence had been negated by Roman might for nearly two thousand years, and since admission of one’s Jewish ethnicity can be dangerous in countries that practice pogroms with violent attacks on the most law-abiding Jews, such as Nazi Germany or Stalinist Russia? Likewise, to some degree similar though not to the same degree of intensity, the Chinese diaspora cannot be expected to have absolute proof of its ethnic identity, and cannot be expected to know fluent Chinese either, for lack of the opportunity to be taught in it. The Chinese diaspora had been forced to adopt foreign citizenship in Southeast Asia as well, but denied equality under its protection. It is therefore inconceivable that the Chinese diaspora, having a strong and wealthy cultural motherland would continue to be excluded from permanent residence in it, on the basis of the lack of any framework for their return, apart from the demonstration of having a living relative in China who can petition them, or from their fulfillment of other investment or professional requirements demanded of non-ethnic foreign citizens wishing to apply for immigration.

A simple paraphrase of this famous document, signed by Ben Gurion, could be as follows:

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Right of Return:

1. Every Huaren has the right to come to this country as a permanent resident.

Permanent Resident Visa:

2. (a) Immigration shall be by permanent resident visa.

__(b) A permanent resident visa shall be granted to every Huaren who has expressed his desire to settle in China, unless the Minister of Immigration is satisfied that the applicant:

……….(1) is engaged in an activity directed against the Chinese people; or

……….(2) is likely to endanger public health or the security of the State.

Permanent Resident certificate:

3. (a) A Huaren who has come to China and subsequent to his arrival has expressed his desire to settle in China may, while still in China, receive a Permanent Resident certificate.

__(b) The restrictions specified in section 2(b) shall apply also to the grant of an Permanent Resident certificate, but a person shall not be regarded as endangering public health on account of an illness contracted after his arrival in China.

Residents and persons born in this country:

4. Every Huaren who has immigrated into this country before the coming into force of this Law, and every Huaren who was born in this country, whether before or after the coming into force of this Law, shall be deemed to be a person who has come to this country as a Permanent Resident under this Law.

Implementation and regulations:

5. The Minister of Immigration is charged with the implementation of this Law and may make regulations as to any matter relating to such implementation and also as to the grant of Permanent Resident visas and Permanent Resident certificates to minors up to the age of 18 years.

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This is just a simple model of how it could be written. No complicated formulas for determining who is a Huaren is needed. The person is proof positive. How he speaks. How he acts. What he believes in. What he knows. How he feels about China. And, lastly, whatever papers or referrals he can produce to clinch the interview. Most importantly, no requirements for how much he can invest, although given China’s low per capita income despite its large foreign reserve, it would be understandable if China requires the applicant to prove he can work in China to support himself or he can use his savings to do so, with some humanitarian exceptions for the aged.

My question to you is WHY CAN CHINA NOT DO FOR ITS ETHNIC DIASPORA WHAT ISRAEL CAN DO FOR ITS ETHNIC DIASPORA, particularly since the Jewish Diaspora had been more deeply influenced by non-Jewish traditions than the Chinese Diaspora, and for a much, much longer time?

[taken from World Forum II at www.Asiawind.com]