Roundtable on Rising China and National Identities of Ethnic Chinese in Southeast Asia
Date & Time: Apr 21, 2025 03:30 PM HST
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_B16UWbZ4TASDY_l4EsUGfA#/registration
Description
About the Roundtable Ethnic Chinese communities have been present in Southeast Asia for centuries. Over time, most have shifted from identifying with their ancestral homeland, China to adopting the national identities of their host countries. However, with China’s rise, Beijing’s new policies towards overseas Chinese and the influx of new Chinese migrants (xin yimin), the national identity of the ethnic Chinese in SEA has become increasingly contested. Some are realigning with China, seemingly reclaiming a Chinese identity, leading to claims of dual national identities. But how accurate is this? Have they truly been re-sinicised?
The roundtable will feature two panels. Panel 1 examines the shifting identities of the ethnic Chinese in the Philippines and Thailand, and their ties to China, while Panel 2 focuses on ethnic Chinese identities in Indonesia and Malaysia. Together, the discussions aim to delve into the complexities surrounding ethnic Chinese identity in the region.
About the Speaker
- Leo Suryadinata is a Visiting Senior Fellow at ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute and a Professor (Adjunct) at S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, NTU.
- Peter Chang is a Research Associate at the Institute of China Studies, University of Malaya, and a Visiting Senior Fellow at ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute.
- Kornphanat Tungkeunkunt is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Liberal Arts, Thammasat University and an Associate Fellow at ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute.
- Teresita Ang See is a Visiting Fellow at ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute. She is also the founder of Kaisa Para Sa Kaunlaran and a former President of the Philippine Association for Chinese Studies.
About the Moderators
- Lee Kam Hing is a Director and Research Professor at the Institute for Sustainable Development Studies, New Era University College. Norshahril Saat is a Senior Fellow at ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute and Coordinator of the Regional Social and Cultural Studies Programme.