Emma Jolley: Good afternoon, everyone. Welcome to the National Library of Australia. My name is Emma Jolley, and I'm a Senior Advisor in the Library's Collection Branch. To begin, I would like to acknowledge Australia's First Nations peoples as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of this land and pay my respects to the Elders, past and present, and through them to all Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Thank you so much for attending this event, which is coming to you from Ngunnawal and Ngambri Country.
Okay, so the reason we're here this afternoon is a presentation: Chinese Diaspora in Cold War Australia by Dr Mei-fen Kuo, a 2023 National Library of Australia Fellow. Our distinguished Fellowship Program supports researchers to make intensive use of the National Library's rich collection through residencies of 12 weeks. These Fellowships are made possible by generous philanthropic support and Mei-fen's Fellowship has been generously supported by the Stokes family.
Dr Mei-fen Kuo is a lecturer in contemporary Chinese culture and history at Macquarie University. Over the past decade, she has dedicated her research efforts to the field of Chinese diaspora history in Australia. She's the author of "Making Chinese Australia: Urban Elites, Newspapers & Chinese Australian Identity During Federation," and "Unlocking the History of Australasian Kuo Min Tang." Her research has often been supported by the Australian Research Council, the Australian Academy of the Humanities, Taiwan Fellowship, and Taiwan Foundation for Democracy.
In her presentation today, Mei-fen will present research findings on the narrative surrounding Chinese-Australian Relations during the Cold War, portraying the Chinese diaspora as active authors of their own stories. Please join me in welcoming Dr Mei-fen Kuo.
Mei-fen Kuo: Thank you, everyone, for your kind introduction, and thank you everyone for coming. I would also like to begin to acknowledge the Aboriginal owner of the land we are meeting today. I thank the Elders, past and present for taking care of this land. We are privileged to call home today. I also want to acknowledge any other First Nation people attending today or watching online.
This Fellowship has been an amazing experience for me. The librarians are so excellent to help me, and I think Sharyn and Simone from the Fellowship team deserve special mention. They have helped keeping me on track and connect me with other Fellows. Thank you so much. And also, many thanks to the Stokes family for your generous donation. Their support has been very valuable to me and many others. I also like to take this opportunity to thank many people who gave me the permission to assess their personal and family collection, as well as their Oral History interviews. Thank you for sharing your stories, which have been so inspiring for my research.
This presentation is part of my border project on Chinese Diaspora in Cold War Australia. When we often hear the term Cold War through the media and political discourse, it's significant lies in understanding its impact on people's life and experience. Therefore, my Fellowship aim to document the Chinese experience in Australia during the Cold War period. At the core of my approach is the recognition that the Cold War was not solely about a great power struggle, but also encompasses social politics in everyday life. Within this context, Chinese Cafe emerges as important sites of exploration. These Cafes represent more than just a place to enjoy delicious food, they embodied dynamics of a power struggle business innovation, and critically, the formation of Chinese working culture within the content of Cold War Australia. I will talk about this very soon.
Specifically, the 1950s stand out as a key period to understand Chinese diaspora in Australia during the Cold War period. So in today's presentation, I will begin by discussing the significant of the 1950 period drawing upon the insight from the National Library of Australia's collection and recent scholarship. Within this content, I aim to explore contradictions in the dynamic between the Chinese Cafe employers and the workers. This information will lead us question the underlining the reason behind the division with the Chinese community during this period. I will also explore into a case study that showcases the collaboration between Chinese and Australian workers. Through this case study, we will uncover the significance of their collective activities and the powerful implication it holds for understanding the broader social dynamic of the Cold War Australia.
So, to begin my presentation, I want to particularly focus, I want to talk about the image show in my slide. And this photo I show here is collected by Bruce Lew, a shop owner in Melbourne, Chinatown and a permanent member of the Melbourne Kuo Min Tang Society, which is known as the Chinese Nationalist Party. This photo marks a significant historical event for the Chinese diaspora in Cold War Australia. The photo was taken in Melbourne, Chinatown, Little Bourke Street where there are many Chinese shop, cafe and restaurants. The dragon was put up to welcome the Olympic team from Republic of China, Taiwan in Melbourne in 1956. Change the slide. This is a border image you can see, and if you look closer, you will see there is a National Flag of the Republic of China as known as Taiwan today. And this is- The presence of the National Flag of Republic of China in the photo serves as a powerful symbol of the support for Free China and opposition to communism. At the time, documents from the National Library of Australia such as the Papers of the Sir WS Kent Hughes, tell us more about the context surrounding this mobilisation. Kent Hughes who serves as the Chairman of the Organising Committee of the, for the Olympic Game in 1956 was known to be a devote supporter against the communism and he's showing support for Free China's team in his arrangement in 1956 in which he upset communist China. So team from communist China decided not to join the Olympic in 1956. This photo serves as a visual representation of the geopolitical tension in local context during the Cold War era, and I also want to use this photo to experience understanding the Cold War requires an examination of both power dynamic and their representation. And one of the challenges on doing research, the Cold War history is to the challenge to assess to the document. I want to highlight, the photo was stay in Bruce's house for very long after the recognition of the People's Republic of China in 1972. And then his society, the Chinese Nationalist Party in Australia closed its door to the public, storing their historical documents away. It was until the National Library’s Community Grant about more than 10 years ago, get the opportunity for us like the research like us to unlock the door, and say, "It is time, we would like to examine this document."
So I want to also show these National Library’s Community Heritage Grant play a very key role to unlock the Cold War document. And also, I want, I'm very delighted that the Melbourne Kuo Min Tang Society, they had decided to donate Cold War document to the National Library. So thereby, believe in the future they were make a source more available for future research on Chinese-Australia History.
So in today's discussion, so one challenge, for me, when I begin to do this research is how we can assess to the document during the Cold War, and particularly, I really want to dig the voice, the story experience of the Chinese back to that time. And luckily, today, there is a growing interest in both family history and public history. This interest has led to more available documents which will help us to consider how society has changed over time from middle or below. Through this document, we can see how families and community had to play a significant role in shaping Australia's life of way and also Australian society, how they view the Asia and its culture, especially, during the important policy shifts like the change in Asia immigration. Many historians today already point out that 1950s is the crucial time for understanding these changes.
The 1950s, this period marked a fascinating period in Australia's history, following the upheaval of World War II, Australia experiences a significant economy and social recovery. This era saw a surge in migration from Europe as many sought new opportunity in the economy. Additionally, Asia begins to emerge as an increasing attractive region for Australia, not only for travel but also for business. This shift reflects a broader trend of Australia's growing engaging with the Asia Pacific region during this time, laying the groundwork for future economic and cultural times.
National Library’s collection provide insight into the impact of the so-called people to people's connection between Australia mainland China and Taiwan in the 1950s. So these two images here just show, just the example. And one example here on the writing of the Frank Clune, a very famous Australian writer, about Taiwan provided Australia with a window into non-communist countries, raising the understanding and paving the way for Australia to become one of the Taiwan's top tourism destination a decade later. Furthermore, institution like universities, International House, and NGO play the other significant role in engaging Asian students, shaping the public opinion, and contribute to the debate and eventual dismantling of the White Australia Policy that argued by Australian historians. These examples highlight multi-faceted way in which the interpersonal connection and cultural exchange have to shape Australia's relationship with Asia and its changing Immigration Policy. Then the question is what role did the Chinese community play during this period? Did they have a similar influence on other groups?
During the 1950s, there was a growing increase of the local Chinese associations. For example, students organisations as a number of the Chinese students studying Australia, they played a role in forming student organisations, providing a platform for engagement with other students. A standout example is the Chinese Student Club in Victoria, which took proactive measures such as publishing bilingual magazine to enhance participation in social activities among students. I'm very lucky, the National Library own one copy of this magazine and which is, now is available, we can view online at the National Library's website. And the other association I want to highlight is Women's Association and this association was drawing from a very famous Sydney Dragon Ball which begin from the late 1930 and Phyllis Wang, who is in the centre of this photo, Phyllis Wang, one of the key organiser of this event during the era, share her insight in the interview. So her interview was also in-house in National Library. She arrived during the wartime in Sydney with her diplomat husband and pressing significant role in founding the Chinese Woman Association in 1954.
Initially, the Association, so according to her interview, the Association, the Chinese Women Association was formed with the end of the opposition communism as suggests by Madam Chiang Kai-shek in Taiwan. However, the Chinese Women Association is primarily focused on social and charitable activity. Phyllis Wang's interview along with lots of other Chinese Australia material is archived in the National Library Oral History interview collection, offer a very good source to explore a diverse perspective within the Cold War era Australia. A very respected community leader, William Liu's Oral History interview. he was interviewed in 1978, which was a very early Oral History collection for the National Library. And moreover, the National Library has gathered interviews with the very important figures from the community such as Arthur Lock Chang in Sydney, and Maurice Leong in Melbourne. Both individuals were highly active and respected members of the community providing further insight into experiences and the contribution of the Chinese-Australia during this period. And many others primarily focus on their family and community life. I really suggest if you want to learn more about the Chinese Australia stories during this period, this Oral History Project, they, now we have the four Oral History Project, it will be a very good source to deepen-. So, when this interview are available, I find also it's very important, some interviews are available online so you can just listen online, and then it will come to this statement from the National Library to remind us that this interview serves individual's point of view may not catch the full score of the event. And I find this statement is quite interesting, also quite important. And additionally, this interview highlights the notion that identities are socially construct, shaped by the personal experience, societal influences, and historical contexts. So even they talk about one topic, you will hear from a different perspective, you know, from their background, the childhood are very different things and their opinion are very different.
For example, we take a Chinese cafe as an example. Different historical interviews provide very different insights. For example, May Young in her 1993 interview, because she like in order, she recall a time of that Chinatown is, you know, when everyone knew each other, and then you know which cafe to go and that's because you know your circle, the cafe will identify your social circle. On the other hand, Margaret Yung Kelly returned to Sydney in 1950s, and found Chinatown, a little bit quiet, a little bit bored, and with the question that failed to meet her expectation in turn of the taste and quality. And the other case is Sylvia Liu and she was interviewed just recently and very interesting, the family, a migrant from China to Taiwan. And then, when she was a teenager, she want to escape from Taiwan's academic pressure. So he decide to come to Sydney to study, however, she recalls her mix experience and study and working at her aunt's Chinese cafe or Chinese restaurant. So she provide very different point of view of our Chinese cafe.
And most important, I want to highlight here is the interview of the Professor Kam Louie, and growing up in Chinatown witnessed the challenge faced by worker and market gardeners. He recalled his family nursery to make the spring rolls for sale to shop and restaurant. Professor Louie's insights have been particularly enlightening, promoted a deeper exploration of the experience of the workers during the Cold War period, especially, those from Chinese background and their life realities, struggle, and achievement express so much from his, in his interview.
And then, another very important document I find at the Library influenced me to pay more attention on worker is the publication by Xie Tang. This book was published in 1983 in Hong Kong, and so far, I didn't see a lot of discussion on this book. This book is only 120 pages but it's a incredible book and he's talking about his diverse working experience in Sydney. He recalled his time as a seaman on a steamship. Xie Tang came to Sydney as a seaman in 1941, and then change different works, an electric welder in a factory, a market gardener, the worker in different cafes and before, eventually, opened his own Chinese restaurant in Sydney in 1955.
Xie Tang's account provide valuable insights into the overlook experience of a Chinese worker in Australia. Also inspire so much from his book. He kind of found close friendship with the Fellow workers, particularly, the Non Chinese workers such as the Henry, he was from New Zealand and interesting from Xie Tang's memoir, Henry decide to give a financial support to Xie Tang, and allow him to open his own restaurant in 1955. And this memoir serves a moving reminder of the pathway and the value of the Chinese-working workers and the politics within the café. And Xie Tang have a detail talk about the policy inside the cafe, the competition, and also distrust and also different business strategy among the different people inside the cafe underscoring the significant of the furthers explanation and understanding of this dynamic. And most importantly, Xie Tang was a man of about what 991 Chinese wartime arrival who settled in Sydney during the World War II with many of them being seamen. This period was crucial for Australia to become familiar with the Asian or Chinese cuisine, especially laws who had a service in Asia or the South Pacific Island. A constant reminder of these Chinese war arrival become deeply involved in Sydney's cafe, contributing as a customers, employee or even owner, thereby, leaving a lasting impact on the culinary landscape and the cultural dynamic of the city.
Before I talk about the dynamic inside the cafe. I also want to briefly talk about the history of the Chinese cafe. And when I talk about Chinese cafe, which is different compared with the Chinese version we know today. So normally, the Chinese cafe, different from the Chinese cooking house of the early 20th century. So Chinese cafe, they will service both Chinese and English, or European cuisine. And the purpose is because they also want to attract the Australian customers.
So in Melbourne, we have the Canton Cafe open early, and in Sydney, the Shanghai Cafe. Shanghai Cafe in Sydney opened in 1917 and located at Haymarket where a growing number of the Chinese were involved in the fruit and vegetable market. And Haymarket is also the area we call Chinatown. And then, we have the second Chinese Cafe Pekin Cafe, was opened in 1919, just the end of the World War I, a moved away from Haymarket, more away from Chinatown. Both Chinese cafe in Sydney were managed by Sydney Chinese Nationalists.
I'm going to talk a little bit about Pekin Cafe because this cafes has a very significant meaning. So Pekin Cafe was managed by Sydney's Chinese Nationalist Party and also influenced by Chinese-American restaurant and operated as a blend of a chop suey house, an English restaurant and a ballroom. So Pekin Cafe is a three-story house. So first floor like was chop suey house, provided Chinese food. Second floor is English restaurant, you can have the English tea. And then, third floor is a ballroom for the social dancing. Chop Suey is a particular dish during the interwar period, meaning, mix leftovers is widely created to Chinese-American in the 1980s, and become very popular in the United States from 1900 to 1960.
While the Melbourne's Canton Cafe that first introduced its Chop Suey to the urban resident in Australia in early 20th century. And then Chinese nationalists in Sydney portrayed it as an international dish because they find that so interesting in mix, you know, left over just like a Chinese diaspora. You know, they went through a different experience they mix with different cultural values and test to receive their identity in your society.
And also very important is Peking Cafe played a significant role in hosting a large dinner for the Chinese nationalists in the 1920s from across the Australia, New Zealand, and South Pacific Island. And also, this event marked a historical occasion as it was the first time Australian politicians set in attention of such greatly. And also, I also have the example here, you can see Pekin Cafe also attract the customers because of, you have the, just dancing.
Pekin Cafe also play a pioneering role by successfully lobby for explanation for especially the staff. Previously, the significant of the Chinese cafes where all Chinese restaurant were primarily associated with the migration business in Chinatown as it just provided food like create some money for their living. But Pekin Cafe have a different goal they want to achieve, they want to integrate into the Australia audience, Australia customers, and also represent them as like the international dining space.
And then, come to 1930s, establishments like the Nanking Cafe, Modern China Cafe, and Golden Dragon Cafe emerged, further shaping the landscape of the Chinese dining in Australia. And the menu, we find a national archive here still demonstrate the cafe still serves both Chinese and European cuisine.
However, during World War II, the Chinese food become even more popular. And Chinese cafe, the change establishments servicing simple- compare Pekin Cafe. The menu is come to more simple, quick, and popular Chinese food.
However, the period after the World War II, so between 1947 and 1949, we saw some cafe workers facing deportation. They are forced to go back to their home country. Underscoring the challenge of they confronted. Some Australia customers in Sydney and Melbourne petition to their local cafe in some case or deportation to stated that we want this chef, we want this workers stay in Australia.
According to an interview of the manager of the Golden Dragon Cafe, Chinese food was more popular than European cuisine. During World War II, the end of the World War II, and also the post-war period because people want to try something different. And additionally, in 1955, we have the first Chinese cooking class in Sydney. And we were managing it in a Chinese restaurant.
And then, from National Library collection, I also find there was a Chinese food society was established by a group of Australian worker and business men. And also, another magazine shows up a cafe was advertised in a student's magazine to attract more students. And during this period, Asian student, some of them even work at the cafe on weekends.
The other very interesting thing I find from the Library's collection is this cafe benefit from the political competition between Mainland China and Taiwan during this period. So if you are familiar with the Cold War history between Australia and Chinese, you will understand both Chinese governments, they try to weapon the trade or the food to win the recognition from Australia. So we talk about, they talk about the big trade. But under that, I find the materials is so interesting is because that kind of competition now in Australia, we can have more cheaper tea from Taiwan and from Mainland China and also, they can, we have a more cheaper prawn for Chinese cafe and that is, we need to credit it to Arthur Gar Lock and his company Wu Hop Seafood distribution so that allow the Chinese cafe can cook more prawn for the Australia customers.
And so, this dynamical interplay between the geopolitical factor and the business operation underscores the relationship between the politics and the dining landscape within the Chinese-Australian community.
So the growing number of the Chinese cafe during this period can be achieved to the country's economy recovery and the increasingly popularity of the Chinese cuisine. And when this trade proceed opportunity, it also brought up challenges. So now I'm going to talk about, on the other side the story, Chinese worker from Hong Kong, all men in China during this period who overlook the all the local law, lack the knowledge of the local law. And they face language barriers were exposed to exploitation by Chinese employee with the industry.
So that means between 1950 to 1955, there was a secret contract between the Hong Kong agent and the Chinese cafe employer to have to bring more Chinese worker from mainland China and in Hong Kong. And before they come, they even need to pay an entry fee to the agent and the employer, and they don't understand that is illegal and they pay. And then, right in Australia they were forced to work longer hour and lower wage. This exploitation underscores the darker side of the Chinese cafe in Cold War Australia, highlighting the need for greater protection and support for immigrant worker in Australia.
However, a scandal entered 1953. In 1953, a scandal involved in the arrest and deportation of a 37-years-old Chinese worker, Ung Chan Bunn. He had originally paid 500 pound in Hong Kong in 1952 to enter Australia, working at the Sam Hop Garden, where he claimed to have received no wage. So he moved to work in Overseas Chinese cafe. This broke the contract and he didn't understand. And then, this made him in trouble when he was informed in 1953 that he would deport due to leaving the market garden to work in the Chinese cafe.
The deportation was shocking for both Australia society and Chinese community. This deportation was indeed a key moment for Chinese community, recalling memory of the 1949 deportation of the Chinese War Refugee, which had an impact on the Chinese community in Australia. And it, if you listen to Professor Kam Louie's interview he also indicate the harrowing experiences of individual who lives in a constant fear of deportation.
So back to Laton, that had really strong impact to the people, particular, working class. And during this period, Australian newspaper grew fear of the communist China, and use that as the excuse to support the White Australia Policy worsening tension within the community. And then two associations were established during this period. NSW Chinese Workers Association was established in 1952. And to fight against, thate scandal, they begain to circle the pamphlets, or, you know, the Chinese language public notice in Chinatown to serves as a reminder to the Chinese labour, emphasising the importance of unity and advocacy in the face of a potential deportation trade. So they use this case to remind the Chinese, if we don't work together, nobody knows who will be the next one to face deportation.
And then, according to the Chinese Worker Association, they state the Chinese worker under the sponsorship, under the contract, underwent an exhausting conditions. They need to work over 70 hours per week and for very little Australia wage, they were bound by restrict contract and deny Freedom of Movement. So, normally, they would work a seven-day week and they don't have the freedom of the movement to contact with other workers.
And on the other hand, we also have the NSW Chinese Restaurant Employer Association established in 1953. And this two associations reflect the community response to this challenge if both organisation were formed with the principle of the justice and friendship aiming to protect right and interest of a Chinese worker and restaurant owner alike.
However, the formation of this association also highlights the dichotomy of the fears within the community. On one hand, they were concerned about the deportation under the White Australia Policy, which discriminate against a non-European immigrant. On the other hand, there were apprehension about the spirit of the communism and it's potential consequence for the Chinese community in local Australia.
So this, dichotomy, within the Chinese community raised an important question about underlying factor contributing to such a vision was it primarily driving by ideological conflicts such as pro-communist China or the pro-free China? Or was it respond to Discrimination Policy and Practise of the Culture Policy when later, is no straight-forward answer delivery into a case study can provide insights into how Chinese cafe worker navigate and the fight for their right demand is challenging.
So, now I'm going to talk about a case after the deportation of the worker. The Chinese Worker Association work very hard to make the worker to understand their rights, and they need help. And the help is from the outside union, the corporation between the Chinese Worker Association and the HCC and the Hotel Club and Restaurant Union was effective in the case of Modern China Cafe where four workers, enduring long hours, without proper rewarded. And that is a very... And then, interesting is, according to the recall from the Chinese Workers Association and the Chinese Union League, a moment happened because one day this worker, they were outside a Modern China Cafe and they observed a May Day procession in 1953, and then one Chinese language leaflet from the Chinese Worker Association prompting them to seek support. It passed to these Chinese cafe workers. And they thought, "Oh, somehow we can find... We can seek support from this association." And this collabrtaion highlights the importance of association in advocating for the right and wellbeing of the Chinese cafe worker.
So there are quite a few figures I want to highlight here. And this Cliff Williams, which represent the Chines Union along with Jack Young. Jack Young was a Australia born Chinese and he was an interpreter. And he was also appointed as a Chinese-speaking organiser for the Australia Union back to that time. Both of them were very active in advancing the case. Their collaboration garnered greater significant attention, leading to a settlement outside of the court where the Chinese worker were granted residence status and additionally, a more affordable contract from the Hong Kong agent were negotiation.
So this victory was widely regarded as a significant win for the Union from both sides, promoting more Chinese workers to join Australian union. So, here we have more people join the union.
And so they, when they worked together, they don't just only fight against, you know, the illegal and the unfair injustice condition, but they also organise the social and cultural event to know each other, and these culture and social events strengthened the solidarity among workers. And in further support of the Australia workers, the Chinese Worker Association even established a kitchen for the employee serving in corporation with the restaurant and the Liquor Trade Employee Union demonstrating a commitment to the Border Community with a beyond their own membership. So this cooperative effort was a very good example of the power of solidarity and collective action in advocating for the workers' rights and wellbeing, regardless of the nationality or the background.
And according to the Chinese Union League and Chinese Worker Association, it is believe that improved worker condition enables more workers to open their own restaurant later because they got more wages and more understanding about the law and also the extent of social networking when I join the Union and there were more worker to work together for their future business. So this improvement in working condition along with other factors I explain earlier in my presentation, contribute to the growth in the number of the Chinese cafe during the 1950s, according to a record from the Chinese Council General, so that reports back to Taipei, he reported roughly about 1,500 Chinese cafes during this period settle in Australia indicating a significant increase in entrepreneurs activity with the Chinese community.
And the other case I want to highlight is the impact of the culture and the social event like the picnic, the dance, these organised and invite the Chinese worker to come. They have a very interesting social impact. The example I want to show here is what I find is from the Magazine Founder, HCR Workers, which is housed in National Library show Marie McKenny, who won the first May Day Queen contest in Sydney in 1959, and she was born in 1942, and working at Waitree NSW Golf Club and was selected for a young delegation from Australia to the Royal Youth Festival. So, I think back to that time, she was only 17 years old and that was a big thing for her, and how she win this content is because her virtue in contest was attribute according to the work magazine, the Union Magazine because she received the support from the Union, which included Chinese and Aboriginal supporters. So Marie McKenny, who is with the Aboriginal and Irish heritage background.
Upon her return, Marie participates in various social events host by the Chinese Worker Association and Chinese Youth League. Marie married Peter Wong in 1962, and mark the beginning of the partnership deeply drew in the community engagement. So, Peter Wong actively involved in the Chinese Youth League and Worker Association, and he meet Marie through the social dancing of the Union. Together, participate in various activities with the Chinese Union League, including the screening of the Aboriginal movies reflecting Peter's advocacy for Aboriginals' right.
Peter's commitment to the social justice is turned beyond his involvement in the Chinese community or Chinese workers community. He sought financial support to send the other delegation to the other Youth Festival in 1962, aiming to raise awareness about living condition of Australia Aboriginals on international platform. The dedication to advocating for making sure community underscores the intersectional approach, Peter and Marie embrace in their activism activities, transcending boundaries to support causes that aligned with their value of equality and justice.
And we are very fortunate to have Peter's memory preserved in a book called, "South flows the pearl: Chinese Australian Voices," which is just published in 2022, where he reflects on the impact of the White Australia Policy on the Chinese community. He noted that even after the introduce of the New Migration Act in 1958, the barriers persisted for the people of the Asian backgrounds still exceed. Despite the effort to the naturalization, it remained challenging for them to gain recognition of Australians. Peter's recollections shed light on the enduring struggle faced by Chinese-Australian during Cold War period. His words serve as a moving reminder of the resilience exhibited by individuals within the community.
So through these different story and experience of the Chinese workers, I hope, today, we get a deeper understanding of the challenge they faced and reasoning and they embody in the pursuit of justice in the Cold War Australia. Moreover, workers’ story has the potential to bridge a diverse and inspire unity among diverse community. By highlighting a common struggle and the shared aspiration, these narratives and experiences, stories can foster connections and solidarity across different background and experiences. I also hope that kind of a story can help us to rethink the Chinese community during the Cold War Australia. Rather than repeating a similar narrative, talk about a division of the Chinese community, get a very wrong label to say the pro-China or pro- Taiwan, they can have their story reflect a more complicated life experience and they deserve to have a further research and discovery.
So, come to my conclusion. So back to the beginning in my presentation, I want to understand how the Chinese community contributed to Cold War Australia. And I do want to argue... I argue Chinese Cafe as a social issue for reshaping Australia way of your life in 1950s. So if we consider a Chinese student on Australia's campus, play important role to change Australia's perceptions toward Asia or toward Asian immigration in the 1950 and the 1960, we should also recognise that the Chinese cafes and the workers experience serve a similar function.
And today, I also talk about the change of the Chinese cafes from Nationalists’ idea to build an international space to a strategic perspective for a young immigrant during the Cold War period. We can see that is the evolution of the modern Chinese cafe in Cold War Australia reflect social politics of everyday life from navigating social interaction to negotiate national identities, ideological conflicts, and the right of labour and citizenship.
The growth of the cafe business isn't solely the result of increased interest in Chinese cuisine, but also the result of effort by both Chinese and Australian workers or we can call unionists to promote more equitable working condition in Australia. And also, this empathy is turned beyond the Chinese' own community to include other workers including also as well as the Aboriginal Australians. Thank you very much.
Emma Jolley: Thank you so much, Mei-fen. That was absolutely fascinating. And personally, thank you so much for putting a face in the stories to the records of individuals and, sorry, to the fact to the individuals represented in the records in the historical record. Thank you. Okay, so we now have some time for some questions as this presentation is being recorded. And for those of us with hearing problems, I'd ask you to wait for your question until the microphone can reach you. Do we have a question? Yeah, one up the back.
Audience member 1: Hi. Well, this is a fun question for you, Mei, about the Chinese cafes. Which Chinese staple dish is your favourite?
Mei-fen Kuo: For Chinese customers?
Emma Jolley: For Chinese customers or...
Audience member 1: Well, for Australian customers as well?
Mei-fen Kuo: I hope I can answer this question, but according to Auther Gar Lock Chang’s oral history, the prawn become a very popular dish because the Chinese cafe can provide a cheaper cost of the prawn dish. And also, I also come close with one documentary produced by ABC, but I don't have the right to show. And also highlight the prawn be cooked in during the, in the Chinese cafe during the 1950s. I hope this answer your question,
Audience member 1: Are you talking about Honey King prawns?
Mei-fen Kuo: I guess I can, if you go back to look at the, oh, sorry. Go back to look at the Menu. I would not assume you know that the confrontation is... To share something quite familiar today like a spring roll that begin to be very popular during, after the World War II. Yeah. Yeah, so if you're interested, I can pass through this menu to you- For your interest.
Emma Jolley: Any other questions? One right at the back.
Audience member 2: Thank you, Mei, thanks very much for your presentation. Given the role of Australian unionists in assisting to improve conditions in Chinese cafes, at what time, or is there a time when you start to see the politics from Mainland China reflected in the cafes? I'm presuming you've done most of your work on Sydney and Melbourne, and given that in the Australian Trade Union Movement, there was also a division of allegiance in relation to the various political persuasions in Mainland and Taiwan. So at what time was... Does that become evident or does it never become evident?
Mei-fen Kuo: I can't really say in the 1950s. We have the PRC's Government involved in the kind of struggle or Campaign for the workers right. However, during the, between 1955 to until 1959, we do have the visitors from Hong Kong, China, and even Southeast Asia, and particularly interest on what is White Australia Policy. However, I went through a couple of the report written by the Chinese authors back to, you know, I think one is from Malaysia and quite few from Hong Kong and few report from Mainland China, they rarely talk about the right of the workers. But I did talk about, you know, organising the Union become a quite significant thing for the people in Mainland China.
And somehow, it's also quite interesting to, I didn't, this is not part of my research, but I also find that quite, like it's also quite interesting to see two China, also competed on this area. They say, "We care more about workers right." But also back to that time, also need to understand the, because before 1957, 58, the Chinese will not be allowed to naturalized to become Australian subject. So that kind of the fear of the communism, and also try them to, you know, they not in between and they also struggle to understand who, which kind of the right, you know, we really want to fight for.
And I have to say this presentation were particularly focused on 1950s, and back to that time, we also have, you know, the scholar and some partisan, they have learn like kind of to visit China, but I define a few MP who raised that kind of issue about the Chinese cafes workers right in the Parliament. But I didn't see a very serious debate or serious discussion between the government in that level. I hope that answer your question.
Audience member 2: Thank you.
Emma Jolley: Any other further questions? Oh, and the back again,
Audience member 3: Thank you, Mei, for such an interesting presentation. Could I ask you if you could talk a little bit more about Taiwan becoming a popular holiday destination for Australians? That's something that, during that period, I was totally new to me and I find that fascinating. I've never ever heard anything about that. I think that's incredible.
Mei-fen Kuo: Yeah, I also find it a fascinating story and I just find the record from the Taiwan Tourist Department, they do have the, a status of the foreign visits with Taiwan. And interesting is because I think it's in the late 1950 and early 1960s, the Taiwan also opened to the foreign tourists. And then, interesting is the Australian tourist that begin to like to visit Taiwan. And I don't know, it's because the Frank Clune, you know, his famous book about, he wrote about Taiwan in 1957 or '58, maybe it's because of that kind of influence but also back to that time, we also have the Australia businessmen travel, still, Asia and Taiwan become a place the East, and they also begin to have a place of a business.
And also very important, I think it's because in the 1964, we have the Tokyo, the Olympic Game in Tokyo, and back to that time a lot of Australians, they visited Tokyo for Olympic Game, and they also traveled through Taiwan to Tokyo. And maybe that is also the other reason.
And also very interesting is if you check that statistics from Taiwan's Government. It's interesting because the first one is Southeast Asia and America, north America, and these two areas is, they always have a lot of overseas Chinese. So that makes sense that they, you know, they already naturalized to become Americans or other countries and they visited Taiwan, but Australia seems a very different case. And I think it's in the mid-1960s or late 1960s, Australia become the fifth, top fifth tourist for Taiwan. Yeah.
Audience member 3: Thank you.
Emma Jolley: Any further questions? Thank you, April? Yes. There's a microphone, she's coming.
Audience member 4: The Workers' Association was formed in 1952 and the Employer's Association in 1953. Is that just a coincidence or was the Employer's Association in response to the workers getting mobilised? And what was their motivation?
Mei-fen Kuo: I would say, the case I say in the 1953, that was the turning point for both side to think we need to work together, we need to, you know, protect our right and interest. Yeah, so the case I say in the 1953, the scandal, and the scandal later because Australian media become a shocking example for the Australia Society and really make the, you know, community thing we need to respond to this case. And that is why we have that- but the Workers Association, and they already investigate the problem before the scandal. So already know that there was the problem. So they set up the Association quickly and what happen is, you know, these Chinese cafe owners or employer, they also know what they are doing but in... But later, they wait until the scandal happen, and they say, "Hey, we probably need our own association." And, but you can see today, I don't have time to talk about how they mobilise each other to support each other but you can see their social mobilisation and their interest, you know, thinking about citizenship, the right is very, very different. That's why I call, you know, social politics of everyday life and, yeah.
Staff member: We have an online question. Did you look at the role of the Colombo Plan on shifting Australian attitudes to Asia in the '50s?
Mei-fen Kuo: Colombo Plan, you mean the come to Australia? Mm, in fact, we do have a large number of private students. So they are not from the Colombo Plan. They're from Private Student Scheme, and particularly found the Oral History Project here in National Library, also found at least cohort of private students cohort. They come from very diverse, and they went to, you know, primary school, secondary school, college, and then maybe university. So they're quite different. But I didn't really have that kind of the story from the Colombo Plan.
But in order, the image I shown, the Chinese Student Association in Victoria, they do have some students from Colombo Plan from Southeast Asia. They also join this Student Club and that is the other, I don't have time to talk about their activity. But that could be one example. The student from Colombo Plan, how they contribute to this story. I hope I can have more details. Maybe I do the other presentation.
Staff member: And another question from online. Did the Australian Unions try to get Chinese restaurant workers to join the Union?
Mei-fen Kuo: Definitely, and with that case, they fight for the four workers in the Modern China Cafe and they described that that was a big win. And I believe that was a big win because after that, the Chinese worker believe it's effective if we work together. And they did join the Australian Unions after that, and I think I don't have the exactly number, but it could be hundreds. And I also wish to dig further about the record for the Union to discover more stories how the Chinese worker work for the Union.
Emma Jolley: And last question.
Audience member 5: Hello. Forgive me for what might be a silly question, but I was wondering with the names of the cafes, the Canton, Pekin, and Shanghai Cafes, I noticed as well with the Modern China Cafe, there wasn't a Chinese sort of name that was immediately evident but was, were there Chinese names that were different? I find that the names are very, as you said, sort of evoke these Cosmopolitan International, you know, the Pekin Cafe, the Shanghai Cafe, but a lot of, I'm not sure about this time, but a lot of Chinese migrants would have come perhaps from Southern China. So, what, was there a different name and what's that name, yeah, significant in another way.
Mei-fen Kuo: The first cafe we have in Melbourne is called Canton Cafe, and I definitely, you know, refer to where I live from Canton. And then, the one in Sydney is a Shanghai Cafe. And if some of you familiar with the Chinese-Australian history, you will know in early 20th century, we do have a Chinese-Australian migrant to Shanghai back to the time. So we use the Shanghai Cafe and then we have a Pekin Cafe. And then, Pekin Cafe is particularly referenced to Chinese Nationalist Party, Chinese Nationalist because it's back to the China, the Republic China's Central Government locate in Pekin. And so they use that, and also Lincoln Cafe. That is the other Capital of the Republic China, and we also have a Hong Kong Cafe. So maybe that provides some, I don't know, geographical imagination of the Chinese immigrate in Australia. But interesting is during World War II and after World War II, you will find the name of the Chinese cafe or restaurant is more diverse. And the other thing why they choose the place, the Chinese place to name their cafe, maybe because they think Australia customers understand what does that mean. So if they chooses something else, maybe, yeah, and I feel food is the cafe and if you check the English net and the Chinese net, you also find that is quite interesting, very diverse and they all... And also, they share towns memo also get the idea, you know, how they decide, you know, which cafes name they want to do and everyone have different ideas and then, yeah, but it's interesting question , thanks.
Emma Jolley: All right. Okay, well, thank you all so much for your questions. Just before we let you go for the afternoon, just a few points of interest. We hope you can all join us for the next Fellowship lecture, which will be ‘Eleanor Witcombe, her brilliant career’, which will be delivered by the 2023 National Library Fellow, Dr. Eleanor Hogan. And that's at 12:30 on Thursday the 29th of February.
On the Library's website, you can also find recordings of interesting and adverse recent talks and performances such as the one today. And they're also available on the Library's YouTube channel.
So finally, I hope you can... I hope you'll join me in thanking Dr. Mei-fen Kuo so much for her fascinating presentation, and also on a personal thanks for her contribution in preserving records of such importance in Australian cultural institution, including the National Library. Thank you, please, thank Dr. Kuo. Thank you very much, have a good afternoon.
