-I was intrigued that the Taiwanese immigrants did not move into Manhattan Chinatown because they did not identify with the others that lived there. The language barrier between the Taiwanese and the old timers in Manhattan created a “subtle social distance,” separating the “coethnics who spoke Cantonese or other southern regional dialects from those who spoke Mandarin.” Furthermore, I learnt in class that the Taiwanese are more educated and earn more money than the other Chinese immigrants; they have a higher socioeconomic status than the residents in Chinatown.

-I found it ironic that Councilwoman Julia Harrison, who was depicted as an “anti-Asian bigot,” endorsed John Liu, a Taiwanese immigrant, for the Councilman position. She previously publicly referred to the “influx of Asian immigrants and Asian-owned businesses as an ‘invasion.'” What caused her to change her views on Asian Americans?

-I think it’s great that the Chinese leaders of the new social service organizations in Los Angeles are interested in interethnic relations. Unlike members of the “old ethnic elite,” they are making an effort at assimilation, which is very important for immigrants. They should not try to exclude themselves from the rest of society. While their cultural identity is important, it does not mean that they will lose it when they interact with other ethnicities.