Chinese Indonesians Come Full Circle

SMU Assistant Professor of Asian Studies Hoon Chang Yau commented on the ethnic identity of Chinese Indonesians. He said, "People have become quite comfortable in the past 10 years, and that's why more Peranakan or Chinese identify (themselves) as such now. There's a sense of pride in being Chinese." But there are also concerns that many Indonesians stereotype them as being rich and aloof because they dominate the ranks of the top industrialists, although many struggle to make ends meet like other citizens. Today, many Chinese Indonesians organise charity drives and political discussions, but Prof Hoon believes that it will take more than 10 or 15 years to clear up misunderstandings.