海外设领与华侨保护——以中国驻新西兰领事的设立及领事黄荣良的活动为中心

Establishing consulates and protecting the overseas Chinese—Centering on the Establishment of Chinese Consulate in New Zealand and Consul Huang Rongliang's Activities

1877年,中国首个驻外领事馆在新加坡设立。1878年,中国政府向英国提出在其他英国属地设立领事的要求,遭到英方断然拒绝。其时英国外交部对于澳洲、新西兰设领的考虑是,不宜在该地区酝酿出台排华立法之际触碰此一敏感问题。1891年,中国政府再度提议在澳洲等地设立领事,英国政府态度中立,但终因新西兰政府的坚决反对而未果。20世纪初年,在新西兰华侨不断向清政府和新西兰国会请愿的推动下,中国驻新西兰领事馆最终于1908年成功设立。首任领事黄荣良在任两年余,交涉修正排华立法,在各种场合维护华人正面形象,并促成创设中华会馆整合华人社会。黄荣良以其深具国际视野和中国情怀的种种努力,充分诠释了设领护侨的意义所在。

China’s first consulate in foreign countries was established in Singapore in 1877.And the Chinese government asked the British government to allow China to establish consulates in other British dependent territories in 1878,but the proposal was refused.The British Foreign Office’s attitude was that the British government should not touch this sensitive issue while Australia and New Zealand were planning to release anti-Chinese laws.In 1891,the Chinese government requested to establish consulates in Australia and other territories.Though the British government took a neutral position,the request failed to realize because of the implacable opposition of the New Zealand government.In the early years of the 20 th century,promoted by the successive petitions of the Chinese in New Zealand to the Qing government and the New Zealand Congress,the Chinese Consulate in New Zealand was finally established in 1908.The first consul Huang Rongliang was in office for more than two years.He negotiated to revise anti-Chinese laws,maintained positive images of Chinese in various occasions,and promoted to establish New Zealand Chinese Association to organize the Chinese community.Huang’s endeavors with international views and love for China and Chinese people fully interpreted the meaning of establishing consulates and protecting the overseas Chinese.