At present, the number of Chinese in Southeast Asia accounts for nearly 80% of the total number of overseas Chinese in the world. Most of the Chinese here are descendants of the second and third generations.

So far, experts don't know when China people began to immigrate to Southeast Asia. According to historical records, the distant ancestors of Kangpuzhai people came from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in China. The distant ancestors of Thais first lived in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River valley, then moved to Guangxi, Guizhou and Yunnan provinces, and finally moved to the location of Thailand today. After studying various historical facts, French scholars have proved that the Vietnamese nation is very similar to China's Vietnamese ancestry. This also seems to explain the correctness of the statement that Vietnamese ancestors came from China. China people are good at foreign trade. The trade between China people who built the ancient Silk Road and Southeast Asian countries is also very complicated.

It is reported that China businessmen have been particularly active in this area for thousands of years. In addition, cultural and religious exchanges have also strengthened China's relations with its Southeast Asian neighbors. Tang Sanzang went to the Western Heaven to learn Buddhist scriptures and passed through many Southeast Asian countries. During the Ming Dynasty, Zheng He also went to the Western Ocean and even went to Darwin, the northern end of Australia. Some people think that this is to strengthen the relationship between China and Southeast Asian countries. However, Professor Wang Qunwu, an expert on the history of Chinese immigrants and now director of the Institute of East Asian Studies at the National University of Singapore, has a different view.

* The "sea ban" in the Ming and Qing Dynasties was closed to the outside world *

Professor Wang Qunwu said that although marine culture was an open driving force for development, the Ming and Qing governments did the opposite, announcing that anyone who went abroad at will would face serious consequences. This completely hindered the emergence of this wave of immigration.

He said: "The Ming and Qing governments did not encourage or allow private individuals to do business overseas. So as a result, not many people go to Southeast Asia to do business. Although Chinese businessmen have a long history in Southeast Asia, the number is small. Many very brave and fearless adventure businessmen, on the one hand, risk China's ban on businessmen going abroad, on the other hand, it is also dangerous to go to Southeast Asia. "

But by the end of the Qing Dynasty, the government's restrictions on emigrating to Southeast Asia gradually disappeared.

* Natural and man-made disasters force people to leave their homes *

Professor Cao Yunhua, director of the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies at Jinan University in China, said: "1In the middle of the 9th century, Southeast Asia became Southeast Asia because western colonists were developing in Southeast Asia at that time, so they needed a lot of labor. On the other hand, after the middle of China19th century, that is, after the Opium War, China gradually became a colony and semi-colony. Bankrupt farmers, or natural and man-made disasters, wars, famines, etc. Unable to make a living at home, I moved out. The nearest place is of course Southeast Asia, which is what most people said at that time. "

This wave of large-scale immigration to Southeast Asia began. The sudden increase in the number of Chinese in Southeast Asia has caused panic and anxiety among local people? Professor Wang Guiwu, director of the Institute of East Asian Studies at the National University of Singapore, said: "The Yellow Disaster is a Chinese exclusion policy adopted by westerners since Australian workers went to China in the19th century, which caused dissatisfaction among local workers. New concept of yellow peril. For Southeast Asia, local people have no chance to express their opinions. Because it is a western colony. It is westerners who bring China people to Southeast Asia and encourage China people to work here, so there are so many China workers. "

* The base of the government in exile *

Dr. Chen Jie, a lecturer in the Department of Political Science at the University of Adelaide and an expert on Southeast Asian issues, said that among China people who emigrated to Southeast Asia, many dissidents were forced to flee. This laid a solid foundation for Sun Yat-sen and others to launch a peace movement in the future.

He said: "When foreigners invaded, once the Han people were defeated, court officials or ministers of civil and military affairs went to the Southeast Asian generation organization, which is what we now call an organization similar to the government in exile, so as to have a chance to fight back in the future. This phenomenon is many at first. For example, there are many Chinese communities in Vietnam and other places. In fact, this is where it came from. For example, after the demise of the Ming Dynasty, anti-Qing people went to Vietnam as exile bases. There is also the fact that after the Mongols destroyed the Song Dynasty, some defeated soldiers in the Southern Song Dynasty ran to Southeast Asia, which was also the base for establishing counter-attacks. So there have been many such examples in the previous feudal dynasty. "

At that time, many Chinese thought that they only lived overseas for a short time and then returned to China after the current situation changed. However, many people have settled in Southeast Asia for generations for various reasons. However, they still have feelings for China.