Summary
Military identity card belonging to Li Xiaoming (Thomas) who formally migrated to Australia in 2002.The card opens to a colour photograph of Thomas with personal details written in Chinese.
Physical Description
Red plastic cover with gold script embossed on front, inside green printed paper with colour photo of a man in uniform, a stamp and script in Chinese.
Significance
Statement of Historical Significance:
This collection provides a unique opportunity to document the events of the Tiananmen Square Massacre which occurred in Beijing on 4 June, 1989, through the eyes of a former soldier who was present at that time.This event resulted in over 40,000 Chinese students in Australia at the time being granted permanent residency visas by the Australian Government. This story also demonstrates the unwillingnes of some soldiers to participate in the events that occurred, and the resulting migration of a former soldier as a result of speaking out about the events - a risky act of subversion in the eyes of the Chinese Government.
More Information
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Collecting Areas
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Original Owner
Mr Xiaoming Li, Beijing, People's Republic of China, 20 Dec 1988
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Classification
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Category
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Discipline
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Type of item
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Keywords
Chinese Communities, Chinese Immigration, Asylum Seekers, Military History, Military Medals, Students, Student Movement, Protests, Soldiers, Immigration Policies, Immigration Selection