I.   Presentation of Asian Study programs in Appalachian State University

        The Appalachian State University has an Asian Study mayor and minor programs at undergraduate level which are directed by the Asian Study Committee of Appalachian Study Committee of the university. Several departments of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the College of Fine Arts and the College of Applied Arts join hand to make these programs possible.

        The Asian Study Committee of Appalachian State University is formed by the turned professors and professors on tenure-track whose research concentrations are related to Asian countries or who teach courses related to history, geography, language, culture, civilization, political science, economy, anthropology, archeology, religion, philosophy, arts, music and physical education.

        The recent most important research about the overseas Chinese study in Appalachian Study University is the one conducted by the Department of political science regarding the Chinese immigration to Russian in the post-Soviet Union era.

II.  Chinese emigration to Hispanic countries

        There were several emigration waves in Chinese history, but the most impotent waves are two. Now we are in the second wave of Chinese massive emigration to foreign countries. This wave occurred immediately after the so-called Cultural Revolution and the beginning of Deng Xiaoping so-called Open Door Policy as far as to these emigration waves are concerned. The emigration of Chinese peoples to Spain, Portugal and other Spanish and Portuguese speaking countries constitutes no exception. So when we are doing any statistic census or academic research regarding overseas Chinese, we have to take into serious consideration the Chinese immigration in Spain, Peru, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Chile and other Spanish and Portuguese speaking countries in Europe, South America and Central America.

        Chinese people from Guangdong were the first group to settle down in Latin American countries at the end of 19 century. Chinese emigrants mainly focused on the both West and East coast of the American Continents and some of the comparatively more developed large cities such as Lima, Peru; Guayaguil, Ecuador; Havana, Cuba; Panama city, Panama; Mexico City and Acapulco, Mexico, Rio de Janeiro. Most of Chinese people came to this continent first as the famous coolie like the African black slaves, to build the road or work in tropical "plantations?

        The real emigration to Spain and Portugal was very late, i.c., after the Second World War. Before 1945, there were very few Chinese workers in Spain and Portugal. During the Spanish Civil War, the International Brigade had a guerrilla unit formed by Chinese immigrants from other Western European Countries.

        Although many overseas Chinese took Central America, and even South America as "driving board?to jamb to United States of America, most of them remained in Latin America and lived over there from generation to generation because of one reason or another. With the very hard work and saving ability, typical of Chinese working people, many of them started laundry stores, Chinese or Cantonese restaurants, and even banana, café or rubber plant plantations.

        Nowadays Hispanic Chinese people from Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong play more and more important role in the economic development of many Hispanic countries. The former illiterate poor Chinese immigrants, after becoming richer and richer, they began to receive higher education. Besides businessmen, many of them became medical doctors, architectures, engineers, teachers, university professors, technicians, lawyers, and even writers and poets. In some of the Latin-American countries such as Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, Colombia, etc. they constitute such an important economic force I their own countries that the government cannot ignore them when any nation wide economic decision is made.

        Although traditionally Chinese immigrants are not aware of their own social-political status in their country, the new generation of overseas Chinese is getting involved in public life and political activities more and more deeply and widely. Now in some countries their voice cannot be totally ignored like before. Besides the traditional "Tonxianhui?and "Tonzhonghui? more unified societies of overseas Chinese professionals, business people, or Chinese residents in general have been organized and play a very important role in social, political, economical and cultural roles in local Chinese community life. I have contacted with some of those associations in Spain, Mexico, Chile, Peru and Ecuador in my previous trips to these countries.

III.   Resources and Supports for Overseas Chinese Studies in Hispanic Countries

1. Establishment of a sub-division for the You Bao-shao Overseas Chinese study Center in Hispanic countries
        There are many research institutions and universities professors in Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong studying the history and current situations of overseas Chinese living in USA, West European countries, East European countries, South East Asian Countries, etc., but very few institutions and universities are focusing in the study of Overseas Chinese in Spain, Portugal, and Latin-American countries. Therefore, it is very important to establish a sub-division or sub-divisions for this center of Overseas Chinese study to deal with the research on Overseas Chinese in Hispanic countries. I would like to contribute to the establishment of this sub-division with the cooperation of Spanish speaking professionals in Mainland China and Taiwan, and the researchers of the Institute of Latin-American Studies of the National Social Science Academy of China, and with the support and the cooperation of different associations of overseas Chinese in Spanish and Portuguese Speaking countries and the local research institutions and universities. For this organizational goal, we should start to contact the Spanish speaking communities all over the world, the research institutions and universities in Mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong to get sufficient amount of qualified people to get involved into this Hispanic sub-division under the coordination and leadership of You Bao-shao Overseas Chinese Documentation and Research Center.

        The sub-division will be in charge of (1)collecting information and data from libraries, academic societies, university programs and museums; (2)collection and exchange of research papers from people interested in the overseas Chinese study in Spanish and Portuguese speaking regions around the world; (3)connections with local Hispanic Chinese communities and their organizations in Spain, Portugal and Latin-American countries; (4)coordinating the cooperation and organization of these researches; (5)organizing conferences regarding this theme; (6)establishing working relations with institutions and universities in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao; (7)field-researches on and within Hispanic Chinese communities of Spain, Portugal, central American countries, South American countries; (8)establishment of working relations with the governmental institutions in Spain, Portugal and Latin American countries.

2. Resources and topics of overseas Chinese study in Hispanic Chinese communities
        There are very interesting topics that I would like to cover with the cooperation of local research institutions in Europe and Latin-America and the corresponding institutions in USA, Mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.

1). Chinese coolies in construction of Latin-American railroads.
2). First group of Chinese immigrants in Spain and Portugal.
3). Early immigration of Chinese people in Latin-American countries.
4). Overseas Chinese participation in Spanish Civil War.
5). Overseas Chinese participation in the two Cuba revolutions.
6). Hispanic Chinese participation in the Independence of Latin-American countries.
7). The Chinese restaurants business in Spanish speaking countries.
8). The Chinese Mafia in Latin-America.
9). The illegal emigration of Chinese from Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao to Latin-American countries.
10). The economic role of Hispanic Chinese.
11). The socio-political status of Hispanic Chinese.
12). The census of Chinese emigration to Spain, Portugal, and Latin-American countries.
13). Hispanic Chinese plantation in Central American and South America.
14). Hispanic Chinese Professionals.
15). Overseas Chinese as bridge between Hispanic countries and China.

IV. Logistic support for the programs in Hispanic overseas Chinese people

        In order to support logistically the above mentioned researches in overseas Chinese, conduct field studies, establish connections with the local government, local overseas Chinese associations and societies, and local research institution and universities, a logistic support is needed.

The following can be the possible economical resources to support our programs:
1).  Foundations in USA.
2).  The You Bao-shao Overseas Chinese Documentation and Research Center.
3).  Possible supports from China, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
4).  Possible supports from local overseas Chinese business people.
5).  Possible supports from local research institutions and universities in Spain, Portugal and Latin-American countries.

V. Publications

        In order to publish books and articles regarding Hispanic Chinese issues, I would like to suggest that the You Bao-shao Overseas Chinese Documentation and Research Center give space and support in its own publications, or help to publish through other publishers.

        If it possible, I would also like to suggest that You Bao-shao Overseas Chinese Documentation and Research Center provide special issues and establish special publications plans in its formal periodicals for articles regarding the Hispanic Chinese studies.