Diasporic Cold Warriors: Nationalist China, Anticommunism, and the Philippine Chinese, 1930s–1970s

Studies of the Weatherhead East Asian Institute, Columbia University

by Chien-Wen Kung

In Diasporic Cold Warriors , Chien-Wen Kung explains how the Chinese Nationalist Party (Kuomintang) sowed the seeds of anticommunism among the Philippine Chinese with the active participation of the Philippine state. From the 1950s to the 1970s, Philippine Chinese were Southeast Asia's most exemplary Cold Warriors among overseas Chinese. During these decades, no Chinese community in the region was more vigilant in identifying and rooting out suspected communists from within its midst; none was as committed to mobilizing against the People's Republic of China as the one in the former US colony. Ironically, for all the fears of overseas Chinese communities' ties to the PRC at the time, the example of the Philippines shows that the "China" that intervened the most extensively in any Southeast Asian Chinese society during the Cold War was the Republic of China on Taiwan. For the first time, Kung tells the story of the Philippine Chinese as pro-Taiwan, anticommunist partisans, tracing their evolving relationship with the KMT and successive Philippine governments over the mid-twentieth century. Throughout, he argues for a networked and transnational understanding of the ROC-KMT party-state and demonstrates that Taipei exercised a form of nonterritorial sovereignty over the Philippine Chinese with Manila's participation and consent. Challenging depoliticized narratives of cultural integration, he also contends that, because of the KMT, Chinese identity formation and practices of belonging in the Philippines were deeply infused with Cold War ideology. Drawing on archival research and fieldwork in Taiwan, the Philippines, the United States, and China, Diasporic Cold Warriors reimagines the histories of the ROC, the KMT, and the Philippine Chinese, connecting them to the broader canvas of the Cold War and postcolonial nation-building in East and Southeast Asia.

318 pages, Hardcover

Published March 15, 2022

Reviews

[Nat · Rating 5 out of 5]

In "Diasporic Cold Warriors: Nationalist China, Anticommunism, and the Philippine Chinese, 1930s-1970s," author Chien-Wen Kung delves into the intriguing role of the Philippine Chinese community during the Cold War. While seemingly a niche topic, Kung's book sheds light on broader themes of diaspora, ideology, and the complex dynamics of the Cold War in Southeast Asia.

Kung's choice to examine the Philippine Chinese, a relatively small yet highly active anti-communist group, offers a fresh perspective on the Cold War. This challenges traditional narratives that often overlook the contributions of non-state actors.

The book is based on extensive research, drawing on various sources like Chinese and Philippine government archives, personal testimonies, and newspapers. This depth provides a nuanced understanding of the motivations and actions of the Philippine Chinese community.

Kung's writing style is clear and engaging, making complex historical events accessible to a wider audience. He masterfully weaves individual stories into the broader historical context, creating a compelling narrative.

While the book offers valuable insights, its focus on the Philippine Chinese community necessarily limits the scope of the analysis. Readers seeking a comprehensive understanding of the Cold War in Southeast Asia might require additional resources. As the book heavily relies on sources from the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Philippine government, there might be a potential bias towards their perspective.

"Diasporic Cold Warriors" is a valuable contribution to the scholarship on the Cold War and the history of the Chinese diaspora. It offers a compelling case study of how a marginalized community actively shaped the geopolitical landscape during a critical historical period. The book is recommended for scholars and general readers interested in gaining a deeper understanding of the intricacies of the Cold War in Southeast Asia.

[Dhevarajan · Rating 4 out of 5]

An immersive study on how the Cold War affected the Philippine Chinese.