Mainland Spouses Speak: Taiwanese Nationalism and the Political Movements of Marriage Migrants from the Peoples Republic of China

Abstract

This study examines the anti-Sunflower Movement of marriage migrants from the Peoples Republic of China in Taiwan in 2014, to explore migrants political movements in their destination countries. Previous studies revealed that migrants political movements are possible with cooperation from local civil society and international solidarity, as long as the government of the destination country allows such activism. Mainland spouses in Taiwan, however, were isolated, due to the governments suspicions of their links to China and Taiwanese civil societys efforts to establish new Taiwan. Nevertheless, mainland spouses participated in the anti-Sunflower Movement while making their presence known to Taiwanese civil society through strategies of supporting friendly parties, making their own political parties, speaking out in public, and appealing to their origin country. Though the political movement of mainland spouses remained limited and failed to achieve its goals, it was meaningful in that it raised the public profile of marriage migrants from the PRC.