Research On The Social Status Of South African Chinese Based On Bee Case

South Africa has a long history for apartheid, so that the changes on the social status of Chinese community in this country is worthy of discussion. This paper holds that substantive changes on the social status of Chinese community in South Africa have taken place on the ground of the following factors: the development of China’s comprehensive strength, rapid elevation of the diplomatic relation between China and South Africa, the progress of democracy in South Africa, and the enhancement of Chinese community themselves, etc. Originally as the outsiders, labors, and the “honorary white” in apartheid period, then to the winners in the BEE case and thus became “black”, Chinese people in South Africa have obtained the same compensation right as the black people have, and come to enjoy the right stipulated in the affirmative action.This paper is based on the existing literature and the first-hand material collected in the field study during January and February, 2015 in South Africa. It respectively analyses the social status and struggle of Chinese people in South Africa during the period from 1940 to 1948, from 1948 to 1994, and from 1994 to this day. The “BEE” case is taken as an example to epitomize the struggle and devotion Chinese people have made to improve their social status in the post-apartheid period. In the fourth part, analytic hierarchy process is adopted to analyze the reason for the changes on the social status of Chinese community. As the social status of Chinese community continuing to rise, they are still facing a lot of challenges, such as the right to participate in the administration and discussion of state affairs, which will require their own effort to overcome.