CHINESE STUDENTS RETURN TO THE MOTHERLAND
BUT THEY FACE A DIFFICULT ADAPTATION
Last week Chinese authorities call upon students who study abroad to "return to the motherland" and "to contribute to the development of the Chinese nation." So far, only a third of 270,000 students who went abroad since 1979 to China. This braindrain meant a great loss for China's universities and research institutes and had direct consequences for its reform policy. But then again, prospects for returning students are, to put it mildly, not fantastic.
(By Jan van der Made)
BEIJING (ZOP) "The first thing my political instructor told me when I came back was that I immediately had to write a report about my activities in the United States. With whom I had contact, me if I had done with demonstrations." In perfect English Johnny Wang brings back memories from 1989, when he "probably the only Chinese student as" returned to China. He studied literature at a university in California. It was two months after the massacre in Beijing. "Everyone thought I was crazy. Most saw it as the chance of their lives. They let friends and family in the lurch and went for a green card (U.S. residence permit).
"That I refused. I felt I had to experience that important piece of history, and so I went back." But it was not easy for Johnny. "The first day I came back I was put back in my old dorm that I had to share with five other boys my age. At twelve square meters, everyone must cook, sleep and study. The first night I lie wept.
"What a difference from California where you are to speak in the morning could go skiing and the afternoon in the ocean diving, could talk freely and could read what you wanted. I've never regretted a decision such as when ". Authorities tried a model student of Johnny making. "The People's Daily and China Central Television asked if I wanted to tell you why I had come back. They wanted to use that as propaganda material. But I have consistently refused, and that is me not appreciated.
SESSIONS OF SELF-CRITICISM
Johnny was subjected to countless sessions of criticism and self criticism and nothing more came of study. Eventually he decided his life again to weizigen. He moved to the University and took jobs with foreign companies. After years of work is loosely he ended up with a consulting firm, where he, to his own words "fully develop". His decision to return to China "is ultimately beneficial for him."
But another 180,000 students are not agree with Johnny. They are still abroad, and will probably never return. The massacre in 1989 meant that some 40,000 students alone in the United States continued. In the early nineties, many western countries with flexibility in issuing visas for students from China if they could prove that they had been involved in the demonstrations and into trouble might come.
Beijing's powerful Board of Education took immediate action. In 1990, strict rules were promulgated which provided that only studied abroad could be someone for five years had worked in the public service. Simultaneously, students abroad promised they "would not be criticized" if they had participated in demonstrations or other anti-government activities abroad.
SOCIALIST STATE
The desperate government in Beijing even offered to any student who returned a car tax should. But all those measures did not help much. Last Friday was a special "National Workshop on Students Abroad down and return to the Motherland" which said that students should be "encouraged to return to the Motherland, to Freedom" and "to contribute to building of a thriving socialist state. "
But the few who have returned have mixed feelings. "These tax-free car was not much, you could only buy Chinese brand cars," said Johnny. Of the many returning students decided to start his own. Only a minority is now working in public service.
Despite the poor prospects Johnny predicts an increase of returnees. "Laggards were also largely lured by material wealth which they in the West enjoy. But China has changed dramatically since 1989. If you work hard you can use your own car and buy a house, so therefore you do not abroad to continue.
"And in the long run it is just impossible for Chinese to occur abroad to fully assimilate. They continue to feel a bond with China. And the longer they stay abroad, the more they are consumed by nostalgia."