War

Chinese people in Australia have been involved in all the major conflicts that Australia has been party to from the Boxer Rebellion to WWI and the Anti-Japanese War.

The question of national identity and conflicts involving China and Australia have played an important role in Chinese Australian history. The establishment of Hong Kong as a result of the First Opium War was key to allowing mass movement to the Pacific Settler nations, remarkably the Second Opium War (aka Arrow War) fought between British troops and the Governor of Guangdong seems to have played a minimal role in either promoting or hindering the then established flow of Peral River Delta peoples via HK to or from the Australian goldfields.

The Boxer Rebellion was supported in the anti-Boxer side by the Chinese community in Australia in an effort to side with what was perceived as modernity. Later the overthrow of the Qing and the KMT was supported for similar reasons. The Frist World War saw many people of Chinese heritage join the Army despite anti-Asian bias and even regulations insisting on Europeans only. 

It was the Japanese invasion of China in the 1930s that saw an increase in both Chinese nationalist sentiment among both China and Australian born people as well as an increase in sympathy for Chinese people as fund raising efforts also raised awareness. This culminated in a shift in support from the Trade Unions and the establishment of the Chinese Seamen’s Union. Many Chinese people, including some Australian born became involved in the war in China as well as those who joined the Australian armed forces.

During WWII the Darwin Chinatown was completely destroyed by Australian soldiers after most of the population had been evacuated.

Womens relief fund