It is said that, in the 6th century, a Chinese sailing vessel cast its anchor at Acapulco in Mexico. In the La Quebrada Plaza of that port stands a lofty monument engraved with the design of a Chinese vessel. This story, though possibly not authentic from a historical viewpoint, bespeaks, at least, that the Sino-Mexican relations can be traced to several centuries ago.
The large scale Chinese migration began with 1864 when the Americans were undertaking railroad-building between El Paso and Mexico City. In 1884 and 1885, two batches of Chinese workmen arrived in Mexico by way of the United States. And, like most overseas Chinese, nearly all of them were employed for construction and mining work.
The Chinese immigration into Mexico found its peak during the years 1902-21, when there were some 50,000 Chinese in that country. Their willingness to work for low wages made them welcome to the employment agencies, and they participated in the railroad-building in Oaxaca Province, copper mining at Cananea and the exploration of oil in Veracruz Province.
II. Toils and Struggles
At the outset, the Chinese went to Mexico as coolies and workmen. Nearly all were engaged in road-building, mining and exploration works. As time went on, a few of them got rich and transferred themselves to small business i.e. haberdashery, laundry and restaurant. Through hard work and natural intelligence, many of them did well in their new enterprises. Nowadays, Chinese haberdashery stores spread over all cities and villages in Mexico and are quite popular with the local inhabitants.
Industrious and adventurous by nature, they have brought into being, in some degrees, the prosperity of present Mexico. The development of Mexicali City may serve as a good proof of their endeavors.
Fifty years ago, Mexicali was a barren and sandy village, isolated and hardly heard of. In 1909, the United States of America concluded a treaty with Mexico. Under the provision of that treaty, an enterprising corporation was set up and began to call in Chinese workmen to work on the farms. In 1919, the local Chinese numbered 7,000, even more than the natives. At that time, all farms, stores, tea houses, theaters and other public communities belonged to the overseas Chinese. And, the Cantonese became the popular language there. In the twilight, when the moon cast its shadow over the expansive plantations, the fascinating melodies were audible from the magnificent mansions that envisaged a paradise in the desert. All these were the civilization created by the overseas Chinese with their sweat and intelligence. However, this golden age faded away before long like morning dew. With the lapse of time, restrictions on Chinese immigration were introduced and the Chinese population sharply decreased. At present, the total number of the resident Chinese is little more than 700.
Another example of Chinese achievements may be found in the person of Huang Kuan Chiao. He went there in 1890 and worked, in the beginning, as a foreman at a coal mine in Coahuila Province. In 1896, he owned a farm at El Mante, called "Kwangtung Garden" and built a streetcar line in Torreon. However, through the depredations of civil war in 1911, he became bankrupt almost overnight.
III. Bitter Experiences
Nearly all overseas Chinese are characteristic of perseverance and frugality and have made their fortune empty-handed. With all the admirations from fair-minded people, their successes have, nevertheless, given rise to others' jealousy and conjured up numerous calamities upon them. In May 1911, the Mexican revolution broke out which aimed at the overthrow of Profirio Diaz. The strife was followed by years of civil war between rival revolutionary leaders. On May 15, the revolutionary forces took Torreon Province and made a horrible plunder and slaughter of the local Chinese. One of the results of several days' rioting was the killing of more than 300 Chinese and inestimable property loss. In 1916, the massacre found its way into Chihuahua Province. During that year, the casualty of the Chinese in Chihuahua ran as high as 209 and many valuable estates were destroyed.
The year 1931 also saw a series of the liquidations of the Chinese in Sonora and Sinaloa Provinces. The local governments then proclaimed that each Chinese store must hire, at least, three Mexicans. But, in many cases, these nominal Mexican assistants turned out to be only trouble-makers. The result was that the illegal arrests of the local Chinese and the confiscation of their property happened from time to time. Some of them were even put into exile without having been tried in court. Under such unbearable ill treatment, the majority of the Chinese had to return home with financial losses amounting to some one hundred million U.S. dollars.
IV. Patriotism
The Second World War revealed the potential patriotism of the Chinese in Mexico. In the wake of Japanese aggression of China, they lost no time in taking actions to support their mother country. Some of them voluntarily signed a national-saving agreement, which obliged them to contribute, every month, one tenth of their income. During the eight years of war against Japanese imperialism, their contributions amounted to two million U.S. dollars, which meant that each person contributed on the average 200 dollars. Since the Communist occupation of the China Mainland in 1950, their loyalty to the government of the Republic of China has remained unchanged. In the city of Mexicali alone, the Chinese residents have contributed, in two years, some 100,000 pesos. It is certain that financial and moral support like this from the Chinese in other countries will play an important part in the eventual overthrow of the Peiping regime.
V. Looking Back and Looking Forward
At the height of immigration, the Chinese in Mexico ran as high as 50,000. At present, there are no more than 10,000 of whom all come from Kwangtung and most of them scatter in the cities on the Pacific coast.
Many of these Chinese run grocery stores with capital's ranging from 10,000 to 1,000,000 pesos. There are also Chinese cafeterias, restaurants and laundries. In some districts, the Chinese are engaged in planting cotton, melon, banana and coffee.
On cultural activities, the Chinese there are rather backward. In whole of Mexico, there are only a middle school and a primary school for Chinese. Owing to geographical nearness between Mexico and the United States, the local Chinese depend on the Chinese newspapers and magazines published in San Francisco or New York.