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'''Taiwanese Australians''' are [[Australia|Australian citizens]] or [[Permanent residency|permanent residents]] who carry full or partial ancestry from the [[East Asia]]n island country of [[Taiwan]] or from [[History of Taiwan|preceding Taiwanese regimes]] ([[Taiwan under Qing rule|Qing Taiwan]], [[Taiwan under Japanese rule|Japanese Taiwan]], etc.). [[Demographics of Taiwan|Taiwan's native population]] is 95% [[Han Taiwanese]] and 2.4% [[Taiwanese indigenous peoples|Indigenous Taiwanese]].
'''Taiwanese Australians''' are [[Australia|Australian]] citizens or permanent residents who carry full or partial ancestry from the [[East Asia]]n island country of [[Taiwan]] or from [[History of Taiwan|preceding Taiwanese regimes]].


Taiwan functions as a ''[[de facto]]'' independent country, officially known as the "Republic of China" (not to be confused with the "[[China|People's Republic of China]]", a [[Member states of the United Nations|United Nations member state]] that [[Taiwan Province, People's Republic of China|claims Taiwan]] as its 23rd province). Taiwan is not a member of the [[United Nations]] and is recognised by 15 ''[[de jure]]'' countries. Australia's stance on the [[Two Chinas|sovereignty of the Republic of China]] and the [[political status of Taiwan]] is ambiguous.
The [[political status of Taiwan]] is highly ambiguous and heavily disputed. Taiwan functions as a ''[[de facto]]'' independent country. However, [[Taiwan independence movement|Taiwan's independence]] lacks widespread formal recognition; 15 countries out of ~200 around the world [[Foreign relations of Taiwan|recognise Taiwan]], and Taiwan is not a member of the [[United Nations]]. The country of [[China]] claims the entire country of Taiwan as its [[Taiwan, China|23rd province]].

Although Australia doesn't recognise Taiwan's sovereignty, the two countries still maintain [[Australia–Taiwan relations|quasi-official diplomatic, cultural and economic ties]]. On the other hand, [[Australia–China relations|Australia maintains robust ties with China]]. Despite this, Australia technically does not recognise Taiwan as a province of China, but rather has a more nuanced position on the political status of Taiwan.

[[Taiwanese people]] can be divided into two main ethnic groups; the [[Han Taiwanese]], who have [[Han Chinese]] ancestry and constitute over 95% of the population, and the [[Taiwanese indigenous peoples]], who have [[Austronesian peoples|Austronesian]] ancestry and constitute approximately 2% of the population. The Han Taiwanese majority can be loosely subdivided into the [[Hoklo Taiwanese|Hoklo]], [[Hakka people|Hakka]], and "[[Mainland Chinese|Mainlanders]]" (1949 Chinese immigrants).


Historically, the first known [[Taiwanese people]] in Australia arrived from the [[Dutch East Indies|Netherlands East Indies]] (NEI) (historical [[Indonesia]]) during [[World War II]] (1939–1945), having been brought to the country by the [[Government in exile|exiled]] NEI government as [[civilian internee]]s in 1942. At the time, Taiwan was part of the [[Empire of Japan]] and Taiwanese people were considered [[Japanese people|Japanese]].
Historically, the first known [[Taiwanese people]] in Australia arrived from the [[Dutch East Indies|Netherlands East Indies]] (NEI) (historical [[Indonesia]]) during [[World War II]] (1939–1945), having been brought to the country by the [[Government in exile|exiled]] NEI government as [[civilian internee]]s in 1942. At the time, Taiwan was part of the [[Empire of Japan]] and Taiwanese people were considered [[Japanese people|Japanese]].

Revision as of 09:46, 25 June 2020

Taiwanese Australians
Total population
46,822+ (Taiwanese-born at 2016 census)[1]
55,960 (according to Taiwan govt. data)[2]
Regions with significant populations
Brisbane · Sydney · Melbourne
Languages
Australian English · Taiwanese Mandarin · Taiwanese Hokkien · Taiwanese Hakka · Varieties of Chinese · Formosan languages
Religion
Buddhism · Christianity · Chinese folk religion · Freethinking · Taoism · Other
Related ethnic groups
Chinese Australians, Hong Kong Australians, Indonesian Australians, Japanese Australians, Taiwanese indigenous peoples

Taiwanese Australians are Australian citizens or permanent residents who carry full or partial ancestry from the East Asian island country of Taiwan or from preceding Taiwanese regimes.

The political status of Taiwan is highly ambiguous and heavily disputed. Taiwan functions as a de facto independent country. However, Taiwan's independence lacks widespread formal recognition; 15 countries out of ~200 around the world recognise Taiwan, and Taiwan is not a member of the United Nations. The country of China claims the entire country of Taiwan as its 23rd province.

Although Australia doesn't recognise Taiwan's sovereignty, the two countries still maintain quasi-official diplomatic, cultural and economic ties. On the other hand, Australia maintains robust ties with China. Despite this, Australia technically does not recognise Taiwan as a province of China, but rather has a more nuanced position on the political status of Taiwan.

Taiwanese people can be divided into two main ethnic groups; the Han Taiwanese, who have Han Chinese ancestry and constitute over 95% of the population, and the Taiwanese indigenous peoples, who have Austronesian ancestry and constitute approximately 2% of the population. The Han Taiwanese majority can be loosely subdivided into the Hoklo, Hakka, and "Mainlanders" (1949 Chinese immigrants).

Historically, the first known Taiwanese people in Australia arrived from the Netherlands East Indies (NEI) (historical Indonesia) during World War II (1939–1945), having been brought to the country by the exiled NEI government as civilian internees in 1942. At the time, Taiwan was part of the Empire of Japan and Taiwanese people were considered Japanese.

Taiwanese mass immigration to Australia began during the late-1970s and early-1980s as a result of the complete dismantlement of the White Australia Policy (1901–1973), which historically prevented Taiwanese people and other non-Europeans from permanently settling in the country.

Taiwanese Immigration to Australia

Historical Taiwanese Australian community

Prior to 1942, it is unknown whether there were any Taiwanese people living in Australia.

Internment of Japanese and Taiwanese people in Australia during WWII

See also: Japanese Australians

Historically, Taiwanese Australians have had a significant presence in Tatura and Rushworth, two neighbouring countryside towns respectively located in the regions of Greater Shepparton and Campaspe (Victoria),[3] in the fertile Goulburn Valley.[4]

During World War II, ethnic-Japanese (from Australia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific) and ethnic-Taiwanese (from the Netherlands East Indies) were interned nearby to these towns as a result of anti-espionage/collaboration policies[5] enforced by the Australian government (and WWII Allies in the Asia-Pacific region). Roughly 600 Taiwanese civilians (entire families, including mothers, children, the elderly and the sick) were held at "Internment Camp No. 4", located in Rushworth but nominally labeled as being part of the "Tatura Internment Group",[6] between January 1942 and March 1946.

Most of the Japanese and Taiwanese civilians were innocent and had been arrested for racist reasons[7] (see the related article "Internment of Japanese Americans", an article detailing similar internment in America).

Several Japanese and Taiwanese people were born in the internment camp and received British (Australian) birth certificates from a nearby hospital. Several Japanese people who were born in the internment camp were named "Tatura" in honour of their families' wartime internment at Tatura.

During wartime internment, many working age adults in the internment camp operated small businesses (including a sewing factory)[6] and local schools within the internment camp. Regarding languages, schools mainly taught English, Japanese, Mandarin and Taiwanese languages (Hokkien, Hakka, Formosan). Filipinos are purported to have also been held at the camp,[8] alongside Koreans, Manchus (possibly from Manchukuo), New Caledonians, New Hebrideans, people from the South Pacific Mandate, people from West Papua (and presumably also Papua New Guinea) and Aboriginal Australians (who were mixed-Japanese).[9]

After the war, internees were resettled in their country of ethnic origin, rather than their country of nationality. Japanese were repatriated to Occupied Japan whereas Taiwanese were repatriated to Occupied Formosa.

On January 5, 1993, a plaque was erected at the site of the internment camp at Tatura (Rushworth)[10] to commemorate the memory of wartime internment. Forty-six Japanese and Taiwanese ex-internees, as well as a former (Australian) camp guard, are listed on the plaque.

Taiwanese immigration to Australia after the dismantlement of the White Australia Policy

Starting from 1976, Australia began to consider the Taiwanese to be nationals of the ROC (Taiwan),[11] making a distinction between them and the Mainland Chinese living under the rule of the CPC, but considering both groups to be Chinese. The White Australia Policy had been completely abolished by 1973, and so Taiwanese (and Mainland Chinese) immigration to Australia had been gradually increasing since then.[12] The Australian Government specifically targeted Taiwanese nationals for immigration during the 1980s,[13] whereas the Chinese (PRC) Government restricted its citizens from immigrating to Australia until the early-1980s.

Modern Taiwanese Australian community

The current total population of Taiwanese Australians is unknown, with only 1st-generation and 2nd-generation Taiwanese being counted in the Australian Census as Taiwanese, and with 3rd-generation Taiwanese or older families being counted as just "Australian". The current number of 1st/2nd-generation Taiwanese Australians is roughly 45,000–55,000 people. It is estimated that roughly 95%–90% of Taiwanese Australians are 1st/2nd-generation Australians.[14]

Cultural identity

Linguistic identity

In Australia, Australian English is the de facto national language and most immigrants to Australia are expected to be proficient in the language. Unlike in the United States, for example, there aren't many large non-Anglophone ethnic enclaves in Australia, since Australian history has been heavily dominated by British colonialism. Multiculturalism in Australia is a fairly recent phenomenon that was intentionally encouraged by successive Australian governments as part of the country's rapidly changing foreign policy and ethnic policy following the conclusion of World War II (1939–1945).

Taiwanese immigrants to Australia can usually speak their native Taiwanese languages, including Taiwanese Mandarin, Taiwanese Hokkien, Taiwanese Hakka, and various other Taiwanese languages (such as the Taiwanese indigenous languages). However, proficiency in these languages typically already drops by the second generation, i.e. the first generation born in Australia. Depending on which social class and/or ethnic group the Taiwanese immigrant parents originate from, their children may only remain proficient in one of these languages. Typically, proficiency in Taiwanese Mandarin is usually retained by the second generation, whereas proficiency in Taiwanese Hokkien and Taiwanese Hakka drops significantly unless the parents place a particular emphasis on retaining proficiency in these languages. Internationally and in Australia, Taiwanese Mandarin is far more useful for travelling and business than other Taiwanese languages, which may result in parents prioritising Taiwanese Mandarin.

By the third and fourth generations, proficiency in even Taiwanese Mandarin is usually lost entirely, unless the family has been residing in a Chinese or Taiwanese ethnic enclave in Australia for several decades. Such enclaves do exist, and they are usually known as "Chinatowns". Chinese enclaves in Australia are quite large and numerous but Taiwanese enclaves aren't.

Settlement

The Taiwanese community in Australia is relatively minor and is often not distinguished from the Chinese community in Australia. Brisbane (QLD) hosts the largest Taiwanese community in Australia. Sydney (NSW) and Melbourne (VIC) also host significant Taiwanese communities. Typically, Taiwanese people immigrating to Australia prefer to settle in major cities, so Perth (WA), Adelaide (SA), the Gold Coast (QLD), Newcastle (NSW), Canberra (ACT), the Sunshine Coast (QLD), and Wollongong (NSW) are probably the next most popular destinations for Taiwanese people immigrating to Australia.

See also

References

  1. ^ "2016 Census Community Profiles: Australia". Quickstats.censusdata.abs.gov.au. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  2. ^ [1]
  3. ^ "Tatura Irrigation and Wartime Camps Museum". Visit Shepparton.
  4. ^ "Why Tatura". Tatura, A Bega Cheese Company.
  5. ^ "Prisoner of War and Internment Camps; World War II Camps". Tatura Museum.
  6. ^ a b "Tatura – Rushworth, Victoria (1940–47)". National Archives of Australia. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
  7. ^ Blakkarly, Jarni (25 April 2017). "Japanese survivors recall Australia's WWII civilian internment camps". SBS News. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
  8. ^ Nagata, Yuriko (13 September 1993). "Japanese internment in Australia during World War II". The University of Adelaide (This is a website link to a PDF version of an Australian thesis paper on Japanese internment in Australia during WWII.).
  9. ^ Blakkarly, Jarni (24 April 2017). "The Japanese and the dark legacy of Australia's camps". SBS News. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
  10. ^ Piper, Christine (6 March 2012). "Tatura family internment camp". Loveday Project.
  11. ^ "Taiwanese Culture – Taiwanese in Australia". Cultural Atlas. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  12. ^ "Fact sheet – Abolition of the 'White Australia' Policy". archive.homeaffairs.gov.au. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  13. ^ Ma, Laurence J. C.; Cartier, Carolyn L. (2003). The Chinese Diaspora: Space, Place, Mobility, and Identity. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 9780742517561.
  14. ^ "Origins: History of immigration from Taiwan – Immigration Museum, Melbourne Australia". museumsvictoria.com.au. Retrieved 27 December 2018.
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