Nationality Law: Gu Ailing Is Chinese -- On the Dispute over the Nationality of Olympic Champion Gu Ailing

2022 02/11

The Year of the Tiger has a tiger spirit, and it is destined to be an extraordinary year. At the beginning of the new year, the Winter Olympics opened grandly in the capital Beijing, focusing on the global perspective. The women's freestyle skiing champion, Gu Ailing, is like a star emerging from the clouds, shining in the sky and charming. In addition to being extremely interested in and talking about the growth path of this talented girl, the issue of her nationality has also been widely discussed and has become the focus of attention. Is Gu Ailing Chinese?

 

1 China does not recognize dual nationality, and Gu Ailing is Chinese

 

According to the provisions of the Nationality Law of the People's Republic of China, China does not recognize dual nationality of Chinese nationals. At the same time, foreigners or stateless persons who are willing to abide by the Chinese Constitution and laws and meet one of the legal circumstances (close relatives of Chinese people, residing in China, or having other legitimate reasons) can apply for approval to become Chinese nationals. "If an application for admission to Chinese nationality is approved, he shall acquire Chinese nationality;"; "Those who have been approved to become Chinese nationals may not retain foreign nationality.".

 

According to online rumors, Gu Ailing's father is an American and his mother is from Beijing. According to the regulations of the United States government on nationality, she automatically obtained American nationality when she was born in San Francisco, California, in 2003. In 2019, Gu Ailing announced that he had changed his nationality to Chinese. At this point, Gu Ailing is a legitimate Chinese citizen in China, and he can declare himself a Chinese anywhere in the world; At the same time, China will no longer recognize its American nationality. All actions of Gu Ailing are applicable to the laws, regulations, and policies of the People's Republic of China.

 

2 In a specific time and space transition, temporary conflicts of nationality are inevitable, and it is not necessary to criticize individual parties

 

As mentioned earlier, for China, Gu Ailing has only one nationality, and she is a legitimate Chinese citizen. There is no doubt about this.

 

However, the world is diverse and the world is complex. Once the intersection between countries is involved, things are often not absolutely pure. China has Chinese sovereignty, and the United States has American sovereignty. In terms of dual or multiple citizenship, the policy of the United States government is to allow but not encourage it. At the same time, for renunciation of U.S. citizenship, it is necessary to apply for government approval after reaching adulthood. For Gu Ailing, when she acquired Chinese nationality in 2019 (aged 16), she naturally retained American nationality, which cannot be avoided. Even today, she is just an adult. Not to mention whether the process of applying for renunciation of U.S. citizenship requires a certain amount of time. To put it a step further, even if it can be applied without applying, there seems to be nothing detrimental to China. In this way, while retaining American citizenship, there may be no substantive error in saying "that you are an American in the United States.". Objectively speaking, it would be unreasonable to incur criticism just because of this. Of course, a more comprehensive statement should be "even in the United States, we are also Chinese.".

 

3 "The Olympic Games have a unique spirit and philosophy, and it seems inappropriate to deliberately stir up conversation by taking advantage of opportunities."

 

The purpose of the Olympic Games is to educate young people through sports activities that are free of any discrimination and have an Olympic spirit - mutual understanding in the spirit of friendship, solidarity, and fair competition, thereby contributing to the establishment of a peaceful and better world. In such a grand event, everyone should uphold the concept of "unity, friendship, fair competition, and mutual understanding".

 

Gu Ailing's Chinese nationality is not a legal issue, and there are no issues with her playing as a Chinese team member. Why can one sentence cause heated discussion? Is it the public's consideration of their loyalty to the country? The author believes that rather than discussing subjective feelings in an emotional way, it is better to observe actual actions in silence. In fact, Gu Ailing has represented China in many competitions since 2019 (at the age of 16). So, why does the same person, the same nationality, suddenly become the focus of the public at this time? Just because this is the Olympic Games? Just for winning the championship?

 

In short, some issues are not issues, and emotional arguments are not necessary. Gu Ailing's identity as a legitimate citizen in China is not in doubt, but focuses on kindness, tolerance, and understanding. Winning glory for the country is the mission of every sportsman and the attitude that every citizen of the Republic should have. The excellence of the Winter Olympics is continuing, and everyone should take a rational view of it.