Beyond co-ethnicity: the politics of differentiating and integrating new immigrants in Singapore

Abstract

This essay joins the ongoing debates about the role of co-ethnic ties in the making of diaspora identity by examining Singaporean Chinese perceptions of new immigrants from the mainland and the state's strategies in integrating the newcomers. The public discourses on new Chinese immigrants have produced three interlinked narratives: (1) newcomers are socially and culturally different from the mainstream and earlier immigrants; (2) newcomers have intensified the competition for scarce resources; and (3) newcomers are politically attached to China, whose rise as a global power only serves to reinforce such linkages. I argue that co-ethnicity and common cultural heritage play little role in shaping local Singaporeans' view of the new diaspora; instead, political pragmatism and new identity politics that prioritize the nation above ethnicity are the key factors influencing public attitudes and policy options regarding new immigrants. Furthermore, intra-diaspora differences/conflicts have reinforced interracial solidarity and contributed to the nation-building project.

Keywords:

• ethnicity
• identity
• integration
• Singapore
• Chinese new immigrants
• xenophobia

Acknowledgements

The author is grateful for constructive comments by the anonymous referees and guest editors, especially Gregor Benton. The author is solely responsible for the interpretations and any remaining errors in this article.

Funding

Research for this paper was funded by a grant from Nanyang Technological University entitled ‘Plural Co-existence and Asian Sustainability: Interdisciplinary and Comparative Perspective’ [Grant Number: M4081020].

Notes

1. These include a strike by mainland Chinese bus drivers in Singapore (November 2012), the first industrial action in twenty-six years; large-scale demonstrations by local Singaporeans against immigration (February 2013); and a riot by South Asian migrant workers (December 2013), the first since 1969.

2. On such sources, see Gomes (2014).

3. ‘Population in Brief 2012.’ http://www.population.sg/population-in-brief/2012/files/population-in-brief-2012.pdf

4. ‘Chinese Vice Premier Visits Singapore to Strengthen Ties.’ http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2013-10/21/c_132817359.htm

5. Census of Population 2010, Table 8. http://www.singstat.gov.sg/publications/publications_and_papers/cop2010/census_2010_release1/cop2010sr1.pdf

6. http://www.chinahistoryforum.com/index.php?/topic/33547-new-china-migrants-to-singapore

7. http://theonlinecitizen.com/2009/11/new-immigrants-loyalty-to-spore-sm-gohs-amazing-conclusion

8. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sg_Review/message/6165

9. http://www.pmo.gov.sg/content/pmosite/mediacentre/speechesninterviews/seniorminister/2009/November/speech_by_mr_gohchoktongseniorministeratdeepathirunal200907novem.html. This was analysed in Soon (2010). Baey Yam Keng, a Member of Parliament, also used it to speak about new immigrants’ identity in March 2010.

10. http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/singaporescene/ft-approach-netizens-biggest-beef-poll-111739873.html.

11. Zhang Yuan, ‘Shui rang zhongguo yimin cheng touhao gongdi’ [Who made Chinese immigrants public enemy number one?’] http://finance.sina.com.cn/column/international/20130219/101714581556.shtml

12. ‘Study confirms discomfort between S’poreans and new immigrants.’ http://lkyspp.nus.edu.sg/ips/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2013/08/CNA_Study-confirms-discomfort-between-S_110913.pdf

13. ‘Singapore most Desired by Migrants: Gallup Poll.’ http://news.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne+News/Singapore/Story/A1Story20100822-233240.html

14. ‘Part Three: Speech from the National Day Rally 2010.’ http://www.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne+News/Singapore/Story/A1Story20100830-234707.html

15. National Population and Talent Division, A Sustainable Population for a Dynamic Singapore: Population White Paper (2013), available at http://www.nptd.gov.sg/content/NPTD/news/_jcr_content/par_content/download_98/file.res/population-white-paper.pdf, p.16.

16. ‘REACH Policy Study Workgroup on Integration Issues Proposes Measures towards a Better Integrated Society.’ http://www.reach.gov.sg/portals/0/MediaRelease/REACH%20Media%20Release%20on%20PSW%20Recommendations%20-%20web.pdf

17. http://app.nationalintegrationcouncil.org.sg/Home.aspx

18. http://www.zytzb.cn/publicfiles/business/htmlfiles/tzb2010/S2012/201306/740513.html

Additional information

Funding

Funding: Research for this paper was funded by a grant from Nanyang Technological University entitled ‘Plural Co-existence and Asian Sustainability: Interdisciplinary and Comparative Perspective’ [Grant Number: M4081020].

Notes on contributors

Hong Liu

HONG LIU is the Tan Kah Kee Endowed Professor of Asian Studies at Nanyang Technological University.