Most people think of Singapore, where the proportion of Chinese is as high as 74%, which is well-deserved from the national point of view.
If not, from a regional perspective, the laurel belongs to the Indian Ocean island, Christmas Island.
Christmas Island is located in the northeast of the Indian Ocean and covers an area of 135 square kilometers. It is about 500 kilometers north of Jakarta, and about 2,600 kilometers southeast of Perth, Australia. Geographically, the island is farther from Australia and closer to South-East Asia.
But in fact, it is currently an overseas territory of Australia. The island has a population of just over 2000. The official language is English, but Cantonese is spoken throughout the island.
Why does this secluded island in the Indian Ocean live so many Chinese from thousands of miles away? Why did it become Australia's overseas territory? What about their lives on the island?
I. The Resource Struggle, Australia
Christmas Island first entered the public eye in the 17th century. In 1643, the British navigator discovered the island floating in the Indian Ocean on Christmas Day. In 1688, a few more Europeans on Christmas Island due to strong winds while sailing, and they were the first to set foot on Christmas Island.
Beginning in 1826, the British Empire gradually established a management system for the colonies around and adjacent to the Straits of Malacca, forming a Straits colony centered on three important ports, Singapore, Penang and Malacca, in order to strengthen the overall control of the political economic social aspects of the region.
The establishment of the Straits colonies promoted the British colonies to explore the surrounding areas in depth. Soon they discovered the abundance of high-purity lime phosphate on Christmas Island. Can not resist the resources of the temptation, British in 1888 to annex the island of Christmas, by the colony of Singapore center to manage. Singapore's strong Chinese culture has also influenced Christmas Island.
Singapore, as an important stronghold of modern Chinese, has always occupied a considerable proportion and a significant voice. And the development of Christmas Island these Chinese people are also outstanding.
The large-scale extraction of phosphate began in 1899. A lot of mining, what is needed is abundant cheap labor, and Christmas Island, as a short-lived island, is obviously not up to this standard. Singapore, which has direct jurisdiction over Christmas Island, is one of the most direct suppliers of labour. The extraction of Christmas Island phosphate has attracted a large number of workers from Singapore, Malaysia and China.
As part of the Pacific War, the island of Christmas was also not spared by the invaders persecution. South-East Asia was salivating over the abundance of rubber and oil. From December 1941 onwards, the tragic situation of the South-East Asian war zone gradually formed.
The phosphate reserves of Christmas Island have invaded the invaders' military activities. In January 1942, Japan launched its first military campaign against Christmas Island. Due to the weak military preparedness on the island, Christmas Island was occupied by Japanese troops. Christmas Island has entered a three-year period of Japanese occupation.
In 1946, after a successful victory in the South-East Asian war zone and in World War II, Christmas Island was once again a natural part of Britain and Singapore. After the war, the two places were once again closely connected, and the people of each other were more closely connected.
Time came in 1957, just before Singapore sought autonomy. At this point, Australia made a request to Britain to hand over Christmas Island sovereignty to itself. By October 1958, under the Christmas Island Act 1958, the sovereignty of Christmas Island was officially handed over to Australia, while Singapore received only Pound2.9 million in phosphate compensation.
Why does Australia love Christmas Island? And why does Singapore love this resource treasure? Both countries have their own small abacus.
Australia's hard work on Christmas Island is based on the island's phosphate. In 1948, the capital of Australia and New Zealand dominated the extraction of Christmas Island phosphate.
With the post-World War II national liberation movement rising, Australia fears that the phosphate mining initiative will fall into the hands of Singapore, where independence is becoming more apparent. And they want to fight for Christmas Island sovereignty. before Singapore becomes independent
During this period Singapore was also a British colony and had no say in important matters such as economic and diplomacy. Moreover, Singapore was in negotiations with the United Kingdom on an autonomous and independent process, which was complicated and difficult to accommodate. Britain, after learning of Australia's ideas, reached a deal to weaken Singapore as much as possible. Singapore for the overall situation, not with the British face, can only acquiesce in the deal.
Rich in phosphate resources, Christmas Island has generated a lot of labor demand. Under the British colonial jurisdiction of Singapore, Christmas Island provides the most direct source of labor. In addition to the background of the Southern Ocean, more Chinese workers also follow the pace of predecessors, across the sea into this mysterious island to "gold ".
Under the multiple forces, Christmas Island has multiplied from generation to generation, gradually forming today in addition to Greater China and Singapore, another region with Chinese as the main body.
II. Multiculturalism and prominent Chinese
The multi-ethnic society brings eclectic social and cultural features to Christmas Island. Each local ethnic group has formed its own community, including the Chinese community, white community and Malay community, and so on, the community mutual help and harmony.
In religion, such characteristics are even more pronounced. Only a few thousand people, including Buddhism 、 Taoism, Islam and Christianity and other major religions. There is also a Baha' i centre on the island, which meets the basic values of all religions.
The society with Chinese as the main body brings rich Chinese cultural characteristics to Christmas Island. Every Spring Festival, although not a public holiday in Australia, Christmas Island only enjoys the privilege of Spring Festival public holiday. On Christmas Island, important festivals of all ethnic groups have short-term public holidays, but in terms of influence, number of participants and size, Spring Festival is beyond the reach of other festivals.
In terms of language and culture, the local Chinese are also relatively well preserved. More than 60 per cent of Chinese on Christmas Island are Cantonese-speaking, as most of the Chinese immigrants are from Guangdong, China. In addition, Christmas Island also has a Chinese language center, which was founded in 1980 as a weekend school. Although the number of students is not large, but always maintain enthusiasm for running schools.
Because of the pressure of life and other reasons, batches of Chinese ancestors went to this vast island in the history and took root here. It is the best proof of the fact that the Chinese culture is widely spread on Christmas Island today because they are far away from their homeland without letting them forget their roots.
3. Drying up and opening new paths
Because of its small size, limited resources and limited types of economic activities, the island's phosphate mining is the most important means of generating income. But as early overexploitation made government now cautious about the production and sale of phosphate, repeated multiple calls to stop and restart the storm.
The deterioration of resources has forced local government to tap new economic growth points, and island tourism seems to be the ideal answer. The Christmas Island Red Crab migration has always been a favorite natural wonder and an important window into the island. Through this selling point, more tourist resources will be displayed, more and more tourists will choose their destination on Christmas Island.
Relying on the unique advantages of the island, Christmas Island has developed a series of marine entertainment projects such as diving and fishing. Supporting facilities are not down the wind, the island has opened more than 100 large and small, different styles of hotels, will greatly enhance the experience of travel.
IV. Deep barriers, where is the road
xmas island as australia's non-self-governing external territory, political autonomy decision has a large deficit, completely does not match the government of other states authority. the local law is entirely set by australian government, and regional administrators are also directly selected, some of the daily services are completed through the agreement government western australia. The implementation of this series of measures eventually led to the political apathy of the residents.
The grievances of Christmas Islanders are also reflected in government construction of local refugee and immigration detain centres. With the increasing number of illegal immigrants to Australia and asylum seekers such as refugee, Australian government began to seek solutions, and the establishment of detain centres became their solution.
(b) The arrival of asylum-seekers such as illegal immigrants and refugee has seriously disrupted the normal living order of the local population. death incidents along the coast of asylum-seekers have occurred, and even large ships have been smuggled into Christmas Island and hit reefs.
A growing public outcry led government to close the centre in 2018. But in early 2019, the new government came to power and gradually opened some of the center's facilities. What will happen in the future is a puzzle.
It seems not entirely surprising that white Australia, the Christmas Island with Chinese, is now deeply estranged. But at the beginning of the helpless Christmas Island to give up Singapore, in the face of the current situation, is not without ideas.
As the nation's strength grows, there are calls for the return of the island. But the outcome will have a long way to go: first, christmas island has practical value for australia; second, singapore has a long way to go in terms of strength, especially hard power.
Whether out of interest, or feelings, the game and struggle of the relevant countries, must finally return to the appeal of the public. The government, that can win the hearts of the people is the government. that the people deserve to rely on and trust
Author: Edited by Chen Thomas:
