80 years after repeal of Exclusion Act, bias still seen in US

Eighty years after a discriminatory law targeting Chinese people was repealed in the United States, Chinese Americans say they still face racial discrimination.

"Despite the perception that we are living in peaceful times today, frightening things are still happening," said Haipei Shue, president of United Chinese Americans. "It's essential for the entire Chinese American community to unite and navigate these challenging times."

United Chinese Americans, a rights organization, was one of the hosts at a conference on Tuesday commemorating the 80th anniversary of the repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act.

The exclusion act, enacted in 1882, established a 10-year ban on the immigration of Chinese laborers. It also placed new requirements on Chinese who had already entered the country. When the exclusion act expired in 1892, Congress extended it for 10 years in the form of the Geary Act, and the extension was made permanent in 1902.

Nearly 400 representatives from 121 Chinese American organizations in 26 US states gathered in Washington, DC, for the conference, themed "Promoting Civil Rights for All Americans, Preventing Historical Regression".

For more than 60 years, the Chinese Exclusion Act was the only law in US history specifically targeting an ethnic group.

On Dec 17, 1943, then US president Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Magnuson Act, formally rescinding the Chinese Exclusion Act and affording Chinese Americans equal citizenship rights for the first time.

At the conference on Tuesday, US Trade Representative Katherine Tai emphasized the importance of inheriting the spirit of pursuing freedom, diversity and equality.

As the US pursues its economic interests and national security, it should also make efforts to protect ethnic diversity and equality, she said.

A number of Chinese American and other Asian American members of Congress also spoke at the conference, including US Senator Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, US Representative Judy Chu of California, and US Representative Grace Meng of New York.

Eighty years after the repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act, Chinese Americans and the broader Asian American community must continue to pursue their equal rights, they said.

They encouraged political engagement and voting to ensure that federal and state representatives hear the voices of the Chinese American community.

According to a recent survey by the Pew Research Center in Washington, 78 percent of Asian adults who were surveyed said they had been treated as a foreigner in some way, even if they were born in the US.

About one-third of Asian American respondents said they had been asked to go back to their home country, the poll found. In addition, 32 percent of Asian adults surveyed said they know another Asian person in the US who had been threatened or attacked because of their race or ethnicity since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Furthermore, "although it's been 80 years since the repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act, few may realize that a new form of exclusionary legislation is on the horizon," Shue told China Daily.

He was referring to a law in Florida banning foreign investors from certain countries from purchasing farmland or property near critical infrastructure such as military bases, while singling out Chinese nationals for a broader ban on real estate purchases throughout the state.

"From 1943 until now, there hasn't been any legislation by the US government that discriminates against a specific category of foreign individuals, particularly concerning private property," Shue said. "Florida even mandates that Chinese (nationals) register their private property by the end of the year, an unprecedented move in American history. The Chinese Exclusion Act is not a thing of the past."

Yukong Zhao, co-founder of the Asian American Coalition for Education, said, "The discrimination against the Chinese community has been evident in university admissions and employment, reflecting broader issues related to racial equity."

The US Department of Justice's "China Initiative", launched in 2018"to tackle Chinese espionage "in the US, was regarded by some as an umbrella measure for cases with almost any connection to China. It was canceled in February following protests from people in many fields.

"Despite our diligent, law-abiding and industrious contributions to America, certain politicians and media outlets have fueled anti-China sentiments, demonizing our community," a person who said they were a victim of the initiative and who requested anonymity told China Daily on the sidelines of the conference. "Each and every one of us has a responsibility to counteract this negativity."

It is evident that the shadow of the Chinese Exclusion Act persists in many people's minds despite the commemoration of its repeal, the person said, adding that Chinese Americans serve as a vital bridge in China-US relations.

"Grassroots, academic and cultural exchanges represent the most effective means of communication. It is crucial to create opportunities and enhance such exchanges."

yifanxu@chinadailyusa.com