Analysis of Dual Nationality of Overseas Chinese in Indonesia During the Period of Sukarno Government

Abstract

Indonesia has the largest number of overseas Chinese in the world and is the first country to attempt to resolve the issue of dual nationality since the founding of the Peoples Republic of China. By analyzing Indonesias and Chinas attitudes and policies, the paper attempts to reconstruct their situation at the time. The existence of dual nationality created a series of legal problems and troubles with national identity and affected overseas Chineses stable economic and social life. By searching through various historical sources, the paper reconstructs the process of signing the Treaty between the Peoples Republic of China and the Republic of Indonesia on Dual nationality. After the founding of the Peoples Republic of China, many diplomatic efforts were made, and numerous negotiations with the Indonesian government led to the signing of the Treaty. The Treaty means that China formally renounced dual nationality, which was significant for the new-built country to announce its firm determination to safeguard its sovereignty, ease the sharp conflicts with the Southeast Asian region and protect the interests of overseas Chinese. However, the validation of the Treaty was too short, and it failed to achieve its maximum benefits. It was not well thought out and caused some Indonesian Chinese to lose their nationality, which affected their everyday economic and social life; it encouraged overseas Chinese to actively join their host countries, which was a loss of a series of resources to build the motherland.