James Flowers interviewed by Diana Giese in the Chinese Australian Oral History Partnership collection [sound recording]
- Bib ID:
- 298767
- Format:
- Audio
- Author:
- Flowers, James, 1960-, interviewee
- Access Conditions:
- Access open for research, personal copies and public use.
- Description:
-
- 2000 Mar. 29
- 3 digital audio tapes (ca. 140 min.)
- Series:
- Chinese Australian Oral History Partnership.
- Summary:
-
James Flowers, elected President of the NSW. Branch of the Australia-China Friendship Society (ACFS) in 1998 & National President in 2000 speaks about the history of the Society in Melbourne (founded in July 1951) and Sydney (founded in 1952) known then as the Australia-China Society (ACS). He speaks about the focus of ACFS of the 1990s as a bridge between Australia and China; interactions between ACFS and other organisations such as the Chinese Youth League (Sydney, NSW.); people to people diplomacy; ACFS sponsorship of a school in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region; visits to China being an important ACFS activity; the courage needed to join ACFS in the early years (1950s), when people faced threats of being branded a communist by association & scrutinised by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO); changing relationships after Australia's diplomatic recognition of the People's Republic of China in 1972; Taiwanese influence and Kuo Min Tang (Guomindang) tradition; the federal structure of ACFS; future developments.
Flowers, born in Singapore, the son of an Australian accountant and a Chinese nurse recalls his family background and early years in Melbourne, then Sydney (since 1967), London (late 1970s) and returning to Australia aged 28 years old (1988). He speaks about becoming involved with the Chinese community in Sydney and training to be a Doctor in Chinese medicine for 4 years; being a teacher at the Sydney College of Traditional Chinese Medicine; the interaction between Chinese groups who had established themselves in Australia in the earlier part of the 20th century and the younger generation of migrants; the three main groups (pro-Taiwan, pro-PRC and those in the middle who won't commit) in the wider Chinese Australian community and their political preferences; racism in Australian culture and the impact of multiculturalism; his own identity.
- Biography/History:
-
James Flowers is a practitioner of Chinese medicine.
- Notes:
-
- Recorded on Mar. 29, 2000 in Sydney, N.S.W.
- Digital master available National Library of Australia;
- Index/Finding Aid Note:
- Detailed summary (11 p.) and completed transcript (typescript, 87 leaves) available.
- Subject:
- Occupation:
- Doctors
- Other authors/contributors:
- Giese, Diana, 1947-, interviewer
- Related Records:
-
This belongs to the Chinese Australian Oral History Partnership.
This collection contains 17 records. - Copyright:
-
In Copyright
Contact us for information about copying. For access conditions return to the record display above.
- Reason for copyright status:
- Until 2070 [Created/Published Date + 70 Years]
Copyright status was determined using the following information:
- Material type:
- Sound Recording
- Published status:
- Unpublished
- Creation date:
- 2000
Copyright status may not be correct if data in the record is incomplete or inaccurate. Other access conditions may also apply. For more information please see: Copyright in library collections.
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