Menu

In 1899 New Zealand sent its first troops overseas in support of the British Empire. Hundreds applied to serve in the South African war (also known as the Second Anglo-Boer War). The Chinese of Otago were keen to support. They raised funds for a war horse, whom they asked to be called “Canton”.

Over the years, the Chinese community's response to war and the "call of duty” has been a complicated mix. This has ranged from fervent support for New Zealand, the British Empire and pre-Communist China, to outrage when Chinese were called to serve at a time when they were not given the rights that other New Zealanders had.

Despite these complexities, around 74 Chinese New Zealanders joined the armed forces during WWI and WWII. The small numbers reflect the size of the community, which in 1916 numbered just 2,147 Chinese.¹ Immigration laws made it very difficult for Chinese to migrate here, especially women. But the timing of the laws also resulted in the community having a very high proportion of single men who were too old to be of fighting age. However, some of these men did have families in New Zealand, and it was mostly their New Zealand-born sons and grandsons who were of the right age and circumstance to join up.  

Perhaps the community's most impactful wartime contribution was made not by soldiers but by market gardeners. During World War II the Government contracted Chinese market gardeners to guarantee supplies for thousands of US and New Zealand soldiers stationed here and around the Pacific.

‍

‍