This study aims to redefine ethnicity and identity of Chinese diaspora. By examining the process in which the Indonesian Chinese managed to locate themselves in an “ethnic niche" in Hong Kong, it re-maps the sub-ethnic landscape of Chinese diaspora, which is more complex, dynamic and sensitive than what have been assumed. This study unveils that it is no longer adequate to understand identities in terms of old categories such as “place of origin" and dialect affiliation. Many Chinese migrants resort to invented bonds and transnational linkage for social groupings and identity construction. By responding to new environments in such an innovative way, the Indonesian Chinese not only create another layer of Chineseness but also raise theoretical questions about the nature of Chinese ethnicity in a world of increasing mobility and globalization.
