China and Chineseness - Lessons from the Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan

Explore the complex and contested nature of Chinese identity through this 45-minute lecture that critically examines how the Chinese state, under Communist Party control, defines China and Chineseness. Delve into the fundamental question of who is considered Chinese and analyze how different political systems across the Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong, and Taiwan have shaped distinct understandings of Chinese identity. Investigate Xi Jinping's consolidation of power and the Party's role in defining national identity, while examining issues of ethnicity, minority treatment, and cultural conformity within contemporary China. Learn about China's nationality laws and bloodline-based identity concepts, then explore the unique cases of Hong Kong's colonial legacy and desire for democratization, and Taiwan's evolution into a vibrant democracy with its own contested identity. Examine the Chinese diaspora's complex relationship with mainland China and the challenges of divided loyalties among overseas Chinese communities. Understand how historical realities of different political systems - the Leninist party-state on the Mainland, British colonial rule in Hong Kong, and democratic development in Taiwan - influence contemporary debates about what it means to be Chinese. Gain insights into the political thought underlying these identity constructions and consider who ultimately has the authority to define Chinese identity in the modern era.