46 { China’s Quest
1953, only a handful of Westerners, perhaps several score, remained in China,
mostly “progressive” sympathizers of the CCP who found work in the CCP’s
foreign-language propaganda departments.
A second characteristic of CCP eradication of the Western presence was
avoidance of claims for compensation under international law by not seizing
or nationalizing foreign property outright. CCP foreign policy specialists
(many of whom had studied in the West) had done their homework and
knew that if foreigners could be persuaded, one way or another, but via lawful
means, to simply abandon their property or hand it over to a Chinese entity,
China would not be liable to foreign claims to compensation for that prop-
erty. Thus foreigners found themselves and their operations confronted with
increasing difficulties until, finally, they simply left.
The campaign of squeezing out Western entities was paralleled by a formal
pledge, stated periodically at the highest level, that the CCP and PRC would
protect and not encroach on the lawful interests of foreigners in China.
Hooper suggests that this declaration served as high-sounding moral cam-
ouflage to deflect criticism of the drive against Western interests. It was the
proviso “lawful” that became the operative clause, as permits, taxes, wage
increases, utility costs, visas, etc., stipulated by new China’s legally consti-
tuted authorities that persuaded foreigners to give up and leave China. A wide
array of burdens was increasingly piled on foreigners. For example, foreigners
were required to obtain a residence permit from the local police office. These
were for stipulated periods of time, typically three, six, or twelve months.
This meant that if a permit was not renewed, as was increasingly the case,
the individuals were legally required to leave China. Another permit was re-
quired to travel outside one’s city of residence. Such permissions were seldom
granted. This was a major difficulty for missionaries whose work required
travel throughout their parishes.
Police often made “house calls” on foreign residents, searching individu-
als and their personal belongings and asking about activities and life his-
tories. Chinese became the mandatory language for all interactions with
officialdom, including written communications. Non-Chinese speakers
were required to provide their own interpreters. The low-level government
officials who handled all these transactions were often xenophobic and took
easy offense, attitudes which were fanned by the anti-foreign coverage of CCP
media. When foreigners gave up and were ready to leave, another exit permit
was required. Before that permit was granted, the applicant was required
to post a public notice in newspapers, an action that frequently resulted in
claims by former employees. These claims had to be resolved, by officials who
invariably ruled in favor of the Chinese claimant, before the exit permit was
granted. Employees—cooks, nannies, chauffeurs, etc.—became militant, de-
manding large pay increases, severance pay, and compensation for past pur-
ported injuries.