The oversea Chinese has a glorious patriotic
tradition. Revolution of 1911 led by Sun Yat-sen received and enthusiastic welcome
and support from numerous oversea Chinese.
The oversea Chinese played an important role in Anti-Japanese War also. From September
18th Incident in 1931 to V-J Day in 1945, oversea Chinese, with people back home,
made great contributions to the worldwide anti-Fascist war. They were part of the
pride and glory of Chinese nation, and were praised by people all over the world.
During the World War II, Germany, Italy and Japan formed a fascist alliance in support
of Japanese invasion to China. The oversea Chinese took advantage of their oversea
settlement to set up united patriotic anti-Japanese organizations in Europe, Americas,
Oceania and Southeast Asia, winning sympathy and aid from the international community
for beleaguered China.
The oversea Chinese donated money and goods enthusiastically for the anti-Japanese
cause, providing a great deal of subsidies for the military and civilian expenses
in China.
They were solidly behind calls for the whole Chinese people to unite against the
common enemy, especially after September 18th Incident. The oversea Chinese were
a progressive force in promoting the Second KMT-CPC Cooperation.
Chinese in the US established an aviation school to train flyers for their motherland.
When the nationwide Anti-Japanese War broke out, many oversea Chinese returned to
homeland to join the fighting. Japanese army cut off marine and land transportation
in southeast China in October 1938, but Yunnan-Burma Highway was quickly constructed.
A great number of drivers and mechanics were needed. In 1939, entrusted by National
Government, the "General Association of Oversea Chinese in Southeast Asia for Relieving
Fellow Countrymen in Distress" recruited about 3,200 oversea Chinese machanics to
help maintain trucks that supplied Chinese army via the new road. Reporters from
Nanyang Commercial Press, Sinchew Daily and many other oversea Chinese newspapers
formed the "Team of War Correspondents of Oversea Chinese from Southeast Asia" to
report on the war from China in 1938.
With eight years of extreme hardship and fighting, Chinese won Anti-Japanese War.
The oversea Chinese contributed greatly to the war of resistance in their homeland.
Reference data
Tan Kah-kee (1874 - 1961)
A leader of patriotic oversea Chinese, Tan Kah-kee was born in Xiamen, Fujian province.
He joined China Revolutionary League in Singapore in 1910, and collected money to
aid Sun Yat-sen's revolutionary exertions. He also did much to spread education
among the oversea Chinese and the people in his hometown. From 1913 to 1920, he
set up elementary and secondary schools, teacher's colleges, maritime schools and
Xiamen University in Jimei, Xiamen. Following September 18th Incident, he convened
Oversea Chinese Conference, and called upon oversea Chinese to donate money and
goods and boycott Japanese commodities in order to save China. After the nationwide
Anti-Japanese War broke out in China, he founded General Association of Oversea
Chinese in Southeast Asia for Relieving Fellow Countrymen in Distress. He went to
Yan'an in person to salute Chinese soldiers and civilians who were resisting Japanese
invaders. After victory in 1945, he set up the Nanqiao Daily, and engaged in patriotic
and democratic activities. Mao Zedong highly praised Tan Kah-kee's patriotic spirit
by referring to him as "the role model of oversea Chinese and the glory of the nation".
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