#The photo above was retrieved on March tenth from https://goo.gl/P5hPdP
● History of overseas Chinese from Myanmar
According to the difference between the backgrounds of Myanmar
immigrants of overseas Chinese, it can roughly be classified into four
types:
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▲ The scenery in Myanmar
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● The History of Myanmar Street (Huaxin Street)
The Four Types of Myanmar Immigrants of Overseas Chinese in Taiwan
According to the difference between the backgrounds of Myanmar
immigrants of overseas Chinese, it can roughly be classified into four
types:
During World War II, the military and their family were sent to Myanmar by the ROC Government. In 1949, after the ROC Government lost in the Chinese Civil War, they followed the ROC Government to retreat to Taiwan. Most of them settled down at “Yusheng XinCun” in Shilin, Taipei. After the Chinese Civil War, with the military retreating from Yunnan to Myanmar, they came to Taiwan in the 1950’s with the ROC Government. Most of them settled down in “Zhongzhen XinCun”in Taoyuan. The overseas Chinese students came to Taiwan to study. Most of them live near the school. The overseas Chinese who live on Huaxin Street in Zhonghe, New Taipei City usually come to Taiwan with the whole family or live in Taiwan with the help of their relatives. The Appearance of Myanmar Street and the Background of the Overseas Chinese Coming to Taiwan from Myanmar.
In 1949, Nu, the PM of Myanmarese anti-Fascist government, broke off the diplomatic relation with the ROC. In the next year, Myanmar established diplomatic relations with PRC. However, the ROC government still encouraged Burmese students to study in Taiwan on scholarships. Thus, the number of the Burmese students was still increasing. In 1962, General Ne Win staged a coup and came into power of the government. Then, he started the socialist military dictatorship. At the same time, their restriction to the overseas Chinese was getting strict. In the next year, the government passed <The Law of Company Nationalization>, which nationalized the main industry, forbade the new factories’ establishment, and forbade the people who were not citizens to own lands and business licenses. Many of the overseas Chinese were affected. The government nationalized the overseas Chinese stores and companies, which involved 75% of the overseas Chinese stores in the country. It caused a great shock to the overseas Chinese in Myanmar. This policy resulted in the great emigration of the overseas Chinese from Myanmar. |
▲ the tragic caused by the <The Law of Company Nationalization>
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In 1964, Ne Win government abolished the banknotes of 100 dollars and 50 dollars without warning. People who had these two kinds of currency had to exchange them to the currency under 500 dollars. If any people held the abolished banknotes, they would get severe punishment or even death sentence. The property that the overseas Chinese earned in their whole life all became wastepaper. It caused many overseas Chinese to commit suicide, and also started the immigration wave. Later, the government imposed a ban on the publication of Chinese books, newspapers, and magazines. Furthermore, they closed all the overseas Chinese schools. It made Chinese teachers in the country lose their jobs, and the students also lost the chance of learning Chinese and Chinese culture. However, many elderly overseas Chinese thought that Chinese people should learn Chinese culture, so it promoted the idea of moving to Taiwan.
In 1967, the Myanmar Government instigated an anti-Chinese event, which caused many overseas Chinese to be robbed, injured, and even killed. Many overseas Chinese who were suppressed by the government left their hometown helplessly. The other people that could not leave then concealed their identity of Chinese. They started to learn the Burmese culture and lived like the Burmese in order to save their own lives.
In the 1960’s, the overseas Chinese in Myanmar were persecuted by the government constantly. Some of them decided to immigrate to Taiwan. At Nanshijiao region in New Taipei City, Taiwan, many overseas Chinese immigrants lived here for some reasons, including the low housing prices, the short distance from Taipei City, and many foundries were run here, etc. The overseas Chinese immigrants were picked up to Taiwan to settle down and find a job with the method of dependence on relatives. The overseas Chinese immigrants who lived in Huaxin Street in early stage did part-time jobs, family foundries, small businesses, and at the same time preserved their professional skills. Also, some people chose to work in the plastic factory.
In the 1970’s, Taiwan’s economy started to blossom, so it needed a great amount of labor. There were many electronic companies, processing factories, and foundries set up near Nanshijiao. Because the working chances increased, more and more overseas Chinese immigrants gathered in the region. At that time, it was easy for Myanmar immigrants to apply for the resident permit, so a huge quantity of Myanmar immigrants immigrated to Taiwan. As a result, Huaxin Street had the highest density of Myanmar immigrants in Taiwan; the population was about thirty thousand to forty thousand. In the working aspect, manufacturing was the most common.
After 1980’s, due to the socialist policy and isolationism policy executed by Myanmar Government, and the sanctions by other countries, Myanmar’s economy stagnated and even fell behind. At last, their economy worsened fast, and Myanmar became a poor country. For the lack of job opportunities and poor treatments in Myanmar, many overseas Chinese came to Taiwan so as to pursue a better life. Besides, many overseas Chinese studied abroad in Taiwan. After graduation, they could stay in Taiwan to advance themselves. Most of the overseas Chinese that came to Taiwan with the method of dependence on relatives lived on Huaxin Street as well, which makes it become an area with abundant Myanmar culture. Now, Huaxin Street is also called Myanmar Street.
The Appearance of Myanmar Street and the Background of the Overseas Chinese Coming to Taiwan from Myanmar
In 1949, Nu, the PM of Myanmarese anti-Fascist government, broke off the diplomatic relation with the ROC. In the next year, Myanmar established diplomatic relations with PRC. However, the ROC government still encouraged Burmese students to study in Taiwan on scholarships. Thus, the number of the Burmese students was still increasing. In 1962, General Ne Win staged a coup and came into power of the government. Then, he started the socialist military dictatorship. At the same time, their restriction to the overseas Chinese was getting strict. In the next year, the government passed <The Law of Company Nationalization>, which nationalized the main industry, forbade the new factories’ establishment, and forbade the people who were not citizens to own lands and business licenses. Many of the overseas Chinese were affected. The government nationalized the overseas Chinese stores and companies, which involved 75% of the overseas Chinese stores in the country. It caused a great shock to the overseas Chinese in Myanmar. This policy resulted in the great emigration of the overseas Chinese from Myanmar.
In 1964, Ne Win government abolished the banknotes of 100 dollars and 50 dollars without warning. People who had these two kinds of currency had to exchange them to the currency under 500 dollars. If any people held the abolished banknotes, they would get severe punishment or even death sentence. The property that the overseas Chinese earned in their whole life all became wastepaper. It caused many overseas Chinese to commit suicide, and also started the immigration wave. Later, the government imposed a ban on the publication of Chinese books, newspapers, and magazines. Furthermore, they closed all the overseas Chinese schools. It made Chinese teachers in the country lose their jobs, and the students also lost the chance of learning Chinese and Chinese culture. However, many elderly overseas Chinese thought that Chinese people should learn Chinese culture, so it promoted the idea of moving to Taiwan.
In 1967, the Myanmar Government instigated an anti-Chinese event, which caused many overseas Chinese to be robbed, injured, and even killed. Many overseas Chinese who were suppressed by the government left their hometown helplessly. The other people that could not leave then concealed their identity of Chinese. They started to learn the Burmese culture and lived like the Burmese in order to save their own lives.
In the 1960’s, the overseas Chinese in Myanmar were persecuted by the government constantly. Some of them decided to immigrate to Taiwan. At Nanshijiao region in New Taipei City, Taiwan, many overseas Chinese immigrants lived here for some reasons, including the low housing prices, the short distance from Taipei City, and many foundries were run here, etc. The overseas Chinese immigrants were picked up to Taiwan to settle down and find a job with the method of dependence on relatives. The overseas Chinese immigrants who lived in Huaxin Street in early stage did part-time jobs, family foundries, small businesses, and at the same time preserved their professional skills. Also, some people chose to work in the plastic factory.
In the 1970’s, Taiwan’s economy started to blossom, so it needed a great amount of labor. There were many electronic companies, processing factories, and foundries set up near Nanshijiao. Because the working chances increased, more and more overseas Chinese immigrants gathered in the region. At that time, it was easy for Myanmar immigrants to apply for the resident permit, so a huge quantity of Myanmar immigrants immigrated to Taiwan. As a result, Huaxin Street had the highest density of Myanmar immigrants in Taiwan; the population was about thirty thousand to forty thousand. In the working aspect, manufacturing was the most common.
After 1980’s, due to the socialist policy and isolationism policy executed by Myanmar Government, and the sanctions by other countries, Myanmar’s economy stagnated and even fell behind. At last, their economy worsened fast, and Myanmar became a poor country. For the lack of job opportunities and poor treatments in Myanmar, many overseas Chinese came to Taiwan so as to pursue a better life. Besides, many overseas Chinese studied abroad in Taiwan. After graduation, they could stay in Taiwan to advance themselves. Most of the overseas Chinese that came to Taiwan with the method of dependence on relatives lived on Huaxin Street as well, which makes it become an area with abundant Myanmar culture. Now, Huaxin Street is also called Myanmar Street. |
▲the Huaxin Street nowadays
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