“A grievous injustice to the Chinese nation” : the role of the Qing Dynasty in supporting the South African Chinese
Date
2019-04
Authors
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Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The establishment of the Qing Dynasty Consulate in South Africa, at the beginning of the
twentieth century, marks the earliest official diplomatic contact between what could be
considered the preceding states to modern-day China and South Africa.1 In light of the
importance of the recent diplomatic relations between China and South Africa, it is pertinent
to examine the situation which led to the initial diplomatic contact between the precursors of
these two states. It is also important to consider what challenges these relations faced at this
early stage.
The Qing Dynasty Consulate in South Africa was established initially in response to the
importation of a large body of indentured Chinese labourers into the Witwatersrand area.2 The
arrival of somewhere near 60 000 indentured Chinese labourers between 1904 and 1907 led to
a series of legislative actions in the Cape and Transvaal, which specifically targeted the Chinese
for discrimination.3 Foremost among these were the Cape Chinese Exclusion Act, the Labour
Importation Ordinance and the Asiatic Registration Act. The well-documented historical
apathy of the Qing Dynasty towards their overseas subjects has often led to a lack of
examination of what efforts were made, at an official level, by the Dynasty to assist Chinese
populations in overseas colonies.4 Often, instead, the Dynasty was simply assumed to have
remained apathetic to its distant subjects for its entire existence. This is the case for the Qing
Dynasty’s involvement with the governments of the Cape Colony, Transvaal and Union of
South Africa.5
The active resistance of the Chinese themselves against this discrimination has been analysed
before, particularly in the comprehensive works of Karen Harris6, but the role played by the
Consul-Generals of the Qing Dynasty has been usually under-examined or ignored.7 Evidence
clearly indicates that the Consul-Generals Liu Yu Lin and Liu Ngai played an active role in
supporting the Chinese communities, both free and indentured, within South Africa during their
tenure. Through an analysis of the actions taken by these two Consul-Generals in both the Cape
Colony and Transvaal Colony the extent of their support for the Chinese within South Africa
becomes clear. Although their efforts would, ultimately, have little substantive effect on the
discrimination the South African Chinese faced, it did create an institution which would be
consistently utilized by future generations of South African Chinese to resist prejudice.8
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geen opsomming beskikbaar
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geen opsomming beskikbaar
Description
Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2019.
Keywords
Qing Dynasty Consulate -- South Africa, China -- Foreign relations -- South Africa, South Africa -- Foreign relations -- China, Chinese -- South Africa -- History -- 20th century, Chinese -- South Africa -- Social conditions -- 20th century, UCTD