From Nanqiao To Refugee: The Formation Of China’s Policy Toward Indochinese Refugees, 1978-1979

In the global context, Indochinese refugees in China were important part of the exodus of Indochinese refugees emanating from continuous political upheavals happened in Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos since 1975. But, Indochinese refugees in China have its own particularity. Initially, they were not considered as refugees but Nanqiao. Indochinese refugees in China were not all refugees, including both refugees and Nanqiao. China’s policy toward Indochinese refugees was not purely refugee policy, but contained policy toward refugees and Nanqiao. Thus, using deposited documents and adopting empirical research method based on historical evidence, this thesis thoroughly clarifies such particular and complicated formation of China’s policy toward Indochinese refugees which become a very important issue of researching Indochinese refugees in China as well as a vital prerequisite and foundation of other research on Indochinese refugees plan in China.China’s policy to Indochinese refugees is the result of Vietnam’s anti-China and Chinese exclusion action and China’s accommodation of Nanqiao. In May 1978, the State Council held a special conference on receiving and accommodating expelled Nanqiao by Vietnam. It was agreed that expelling and prosecuting overseas Chinese was a step of anti-Chinese campaign by Vietnam which was the consequence of Vietnam’s following Soviet Union. At this point, receiving and accommodating Vietnamese Nanqiao became a part of overseas Chinese affairs, which was in the charge of Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council and in the scope of overseas Chinese affairs.During that time, China treated Vietnamese differently and provided some Vietnamese with political asylum according to Article 59 of the constitution in 1978. But it was only a part of China’s diplomatic policy to Vietnam since the breach in china-Vietnam relations, and it was totally different from America’s policy in receiving Indochinese refugees. Announced their own response to the so-called Indochinese refugees crisis in international dimension, China, as a spectator initially, had difference and disputes with America in the issues of Vietnam refugees and Cambodian human rights.Since the end of 1978, especially after January 1979, the invasion of Vietnam to Cambodia led to a drastic change in international situation and the perils of Indochinese refugees. Thus, China began to link Nanqiao and Vietnamese refugees who fled to other countries and regions together, carrying on initial contact with UNHCR. In July 1979, China attended the International Conference on Indochinese Refugees in Geneva. China condemned Vietnam who was the root of Indochinese refugees problem and signified that she would cooperate with UNHCR of Indochinese refugees problem.In August 1979, the State Council held a work conference on receiving and accommodating Indochinese refugees. This conference reiterated the basic guideline that formulated in the special conference in May 1978, and decided that all the people to be settled down should be collectively called refugees for external, Nanqiao were parts of the refugees in general. It clearly differentiated overseas Chinese among refugees for internal. The conference decided that the Ministry of Civil Affairs was responsible for receiving and accommodating Indochinese refugees. This marked the formation of China’s policy toward Indochinese refugees.Through researching the formation of China’s policy toward Indochinese refugees, this thesis not only clarify the confusing understanding of all circles in China’s policy toward Indochinese refugees and other related policy, but also provide important historical experience and theoretical thinking for further studying China’s policy toward overseas Chinese affairs and refugees.