Report on the Activities of Headquarters
of the Overseas Chinese Association R.O.C.
Chang Hsi Cheh
Headquarters of the Overseas Chinese Association R.O.C.
Abstract
The Headquarters of the Overseas
Chinese Association (HOCA) was founded in Chongqing in May 1942 and initially
named “Nan Yang Overseas Chinese Association”. It moved to Nanjing after
1945 and changed its name to the HOCA. It moved again to Taibei in 1949.
The current president is Mr. Chang Hsi Che. The aims of the Association
are to unite overseas Chinese all over the world, to promote collaboration,
to pursue national policy, to make joint efforts to develop overseas Chinese
businesses and to cooperate with development of various countries and nations.
Recently we have focused on the research of overseas Chinese issues and
overseas Chinese history and cooperating more with overseas Chinese research
institutes from Mainland China and the world.
Although the HOCA is a nongovernmental
organization with limited resources in finance and staff, we still have
achieved much. We summarize our achievements as follows.
1. Setting Up A Research Publication Committee
We have invited more than
30 experts in the field of overseas Chinese research to open up several
study areas, including collecting research materials, publishing an overseas
Chinese journal and related books, conducting research on the economy and
education of overseas Chinese, promoting academic exchange between mainland
China and Taiwan, and so forth.
2. Establishing An Overseas Chinese Information Center
We have collected specialized
information materials for research by exchanging, purchasing, and utilizing
materials donated through various channels. At this point, our collection
has more than 4 thousands books, 51 journals, and 5 newspapers. The collection
will continue to grow and develop.
3. Holding Academic Symposium
In order to increase academic
exchanges, we often hold symposiums to discuss topics related to overseas
Chinese. Since 1996, we have held several key conferences, such as Overseas
Chinese and Revolution led by Sun Yat-Sen symposium, Economic development
of Overseas Chinese in Asia-Pacific symposium, etc. In addition, we have
published many collections of papers from the symposiums.
4. Holding Long-table Discussion
(1) Discussion on Hong Kong and Macao issues was held on Feb
26, 1996
(2) Received Overseas young Chinese in Hong Kong Observation Group
and held a discussion on April 8, 1996
(3) Leaders of the Chinese in Rhode Island visited us and held a discussion
on overseas Chinese in US on July 23, 1996
(4) Received a group consisting of students from Hong Kong University,
Science and Technology University, etc. We discussed scientific and
technological education
(5) Discussed with leaders of the North America Chinese Association
and the Chinese Guild who came to visit Taiwan on Feb 18, 1997
(6) Leaders of overseas Chinese in Alberta, Canada visited us and held
a discussion on overseas Chinese in Canada on April 15, 1997
(7) Leaders of overseas Chinese in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia visited
us and discussed how to unite overseas Chinese in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia
on April 22, 1997
(8) Hong Kong Chinese Amateur Sports Association visited us and discussed
how to increase exchange on sports between Taiwan and Hong Kong on May
1, 1997
(9) On May 13, 1997, held a discussion on the Future Relationship between
Taiwan and Hong Kong after 1997. The summary of the discussion was published
in our journal
(10) Discussed with people from Hong Kong and Macao on investment in
Mainland China on Feb 12, 1998. Reported the suggestions from participants
to people in charge
(11) The visiting group of Yat-Sen Association in Hong Kong visited
us on June 10, 1998.
(12) Alumni of Universities from Hong Kong and Macao studying in Taiwan
visited us and discussed how to enhance alumni relations on August 3, 1998
(13) A delegation of Presidents of Chinese Hui Kuan in southwest of
America visited us and held a discussion on August 15, 1998
(14) Held a discussion with Chung Yang Jih Pao on overseas Chinese
participating in politics on September 10, 1998. The summary was published
in our journal
(15) A delegation of Directors of overseas Chinese institutes in Europe
visited us and discussed the development of overseas Chinese in Europe
(16) A delegation of Hong Kong Municipal Administration Bureau visited
us and discussed the voting system in Taiwan and Hong Kong Dec 5, 1998
(17) A delegation of students from the Asian Studies Association at
Hong Kong City University visited us on Jan 19, 1999
(18) A delegation of townsman in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macao association
visited us and exchanged information on the economy in Hong Kong and Taiwan
on May 14, 1999
(19) A delegation of Presidents of Chinese Hui Kuan in southwest
of America visited us on August 2, 1999 and suggested that cultural promotion
must extend to America
(20) A delegation of Directors of overseas Chinese institutes in various
countries in America visited us on September 15, 1999
5. Visiting Overseas Chinese Research Institutes all over the world
We drew up a plan to visit
overseas Chinese academic institutes in different areas and collect materials
on overseas Chinese from them. The purpose of the plan is to increase cooperation
and exchange, to enhance mutual understanding, and to collect relevant
information. The following is a list of major visiting and exchanging activities
in the last 3 years.
(1) From October 7 to 14, 1996, a visiting group consisting
of our association and people from Hong Kong and Macao visited education
and research institutes in Hong Kong and Macao
(2) From July 21 to August 9, 1997, a visiting group for academic exchange,
led by President Chang Hsi Che, visited many cities in mainland China,
such as Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Xiamen and so on
(3) From Dec 11 to 23, 1998, our association sent a visiting group
to southeast Asia and visited overseas Chinese institutes in Vietnam, Thailand,
Malaysia, and Singapore
(4) From August 8 to 13, 1999, our association was invited to visit
Shanghai Returned Overseas Chinese Union, Shanghai Overseas Chinese History
Society and Huadong Normal University and discuss the cooperation issues.
6. Subsidizing Publications of Overseas Chinese
We decided a policy to subsidize
publications of overseas Chinese, with the aim of encouraging research
on overseas Chinese and rewarding their contributions to the world. According
to the policy, we will subsidize those approved publications.
7. Books and Journals Published by Our Association
(1) A Collection of Overseas Chinese Issues, includes Overseas
Chinese and their Businesses for over 50 years, CPC’s Policy on Overseas
Chinese, Political life of Overseas Chinese, History of Overseas Chinese
in the United States and the Development of Overseas Chinese Society, a
collection of treatises on overseas Chinese, and Overseas Chinese and Anti-Japanese
War.
(2) Revolutionary History of Overseas Chinese
(3) Biography of famous overseas Chinese
(4) A collection of treatises on overseas Chinese and revolution led
by Sun Yat-sen
(5) A collection on the economy of overseas Chinese
(6) A series of youth books for overseas Chinese
(7) A Dictionary of Overseas Chinese
(8) Journal of Overseas Chinese Association
8. Train Research Personnel
We established scholarships for oversea Chinese college students and offer
scholarships to 30 top students every year. Since 1998, we have also offered
scholarships to graduate students who conduct research on overseas Chinese
business. So far, our policy is highly praised
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