The Chinese are coming!

1955-2015 - 60+ years on . . . .

What are the Bandung Conference legacies?

To mark the 50th anniversary of The Summit, Heads of State and Government of Asian-African countries attended a new Asian-African Summit from 20–24 April 2005 in Bandung and Jakarta. Some sessions of the new conference took place in Gedung Merdeka (Independence Building), the venue of the original conference. Of the 106 nations invited to the historic summit, 89 were represented by their heads of state or government or ministers. The Summit was attended by 54 Asian and 52 African countries.

Amitav Acharya, Professor of International Relations at American University, Washington, D.C. where he holds the UNESCO Chair in Transnational Challenges and Governance at the School of International Service, wrote an opinion piece for the Financial Times during this anniversary meeting. The FT advocates free markets and is in favour of globalisation, as well as globalist policies.

The article is titled Lessons of Bandung, then and now (Amitav Acharya April 21, 2005) and begins:

As Indonesia hosts a summit of Asian and African leaders to mark the 50th anniversary of the historic 1955 Bandung Conference, it is worth recalling how worried the western world was when Sukarno, the Indonesian president, hailed the summit as "the first intercontinental conference of coloured peoples in the history of mankind".

These western world worries he points to included fears held by the U.S. Eisenhower administration that;

the conference would "enhance communist prestige in the area and weaken that of the west". In London, the British worried that the "mischievous" conference could stir up "problems affecting national sovereignty, racialism, and colonialism". 

He then sets out some of the actions in response of the U.S. and the U.K:

With the support of Washington, Britain carried out a widespread diplomatic campaign to prevent the emergence of an Afro-Asian bloc, and "to cause maximum embarrassment" to communist China. British "guidance" documents, covering such topics as "communist colonialism" and religious freedom in the communist world, were passed to friendly governments attending Bandung, including Ceylon, Thailand, Turkey, Pakistan, Iraq and Iran.

This was, in his opinion, evidence of; "the west's excessive level of neurosis about anti-western sentiment in what was then labelled the third world."

Today, however, the situation appears to be very different: The widespread mistrust of foreign capital and demands for economic self-reliance that characterised Bandung 1955 have given way to greater receptivity to globalisation. At tomorrow's summit, neither colonialism nor communism will be big issues.

But there were tensions, including the growing Sino-Japanese tensions, but also with the west;

especially in a climate marked by rising anti-Americanism in Asia. The Bush administration's slogan, "either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists", has eerie parallels with Dulles' cold war slogan: "Those who are not with us are against us".

The demise of the Non-Aligned Movement by 2005, that attempted winning converts to the group of the so-called "neutrals", was an important objective of western guidance at Bandung.

In 1955, Nehru faced resistance in advocating the engagement of China by the west and its Asian allies. Few in Asia today would deny that engaging China is likely to yield more benefits in the long-term than isolating and containing it. But today's sole superpower, the US, is worried that a rising China would threaten its global and regional pre-eminence. Can the west, however, afford to isolate and contain China in the way it attempted in 1955? At Bandung 1955, such tactics backfired; instead of causing "maximum embarrassment", a British Foreign Office assessment noted, the conference engendered "greater respect and sympathy with communist China".

The NAASP "Declaration"

The 2005 Asian African Summit resulted in the Declaration of the New Asian–African Strategic Partnership (NAASP), the Joint Ministerial Statement on the NAASP Plan of Action, and the Joint Asian African Leaders’ Statement on Tsunami, Earthquake and other Natural Disasters. The conclusion of aforementioned declaration of NAASP is the Nawasila (nine principles) supporting political, economic, and socio-cultural cooperation.

Another 10+ years on . . .

On the 60th anniversary of the Asian-African Conference and the 10th anniversary of the NAASP, a 3rd summit was held in Bandung and Jakarta from 21–25 April 2015, with the theme Strengthening South-South Cooperation to Promote World Peace and Prosperity. Delegates from 109 Asian and African countries, 16 observer countries and 25 international organizations participated.

So, what happened?  

China?

This was the report from the China Daily

"President Xi joins Asian, African leaders in Bandung commemorative walk"

President Xi Jinping (2nd L) his wife Peng Liyuan (L) walk with Indonesian President Joko Widodo (2nd R) and his wife Iriana (R) as they lead the re-enactment of the historic walk from 1955 along Asia Africa Street in Bandung, West Java, at the conclusion of the Asian-African Summit, April 24, 2015.

BANDUNG, Indonesia - Chinese President Xi Jinping and other Asian and African leaders participated here Friday morning in a series of events to commemorate the historic 1955 Bandung Conference.

The 60th-anniversary commemoration of that landmark bicontinental gathering opened with a repeat of the "historical walk," with the leaders strolling from Savoy Homann Hotel to Gedung Merdeka, or the Independence Building.

Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, walked alongside their Indonesian counterparts in the front of the array, which marched forward to the cheers of the crowds that had gathered on both sides of the avenue.

The first Asian-African Conference took place in Bandung on April 18-24,1955, and was attended by representatives from 29 Asian and African countries and territories.

At the 1955 gathering, the leaders crafted a new ethos to govern international relations known as the Bandung Spirit and embodied by the Ten Principles of Bandung.

Over the past 60 years, the Bandung Principles, centered on peaceful coexistence, have been embraced by more and more countries. And today the Bandung Spirit of solidarity, friendship and cooperation remains relevant and potent in world affairs.

By following the footsteps of their predecessors, the leaders demonstrated their determination to remember and carry forward the time-honored guiding norms.

After the walk, the participants entered the Independence Building, where they reviewed the Ten Principles of Bandung and watched a commemorative video and an Indonesian art performance.

At the formal commemorative conference, Xi, Indonesian President Joko Widodo and Swaziland King Mswati III signed into effect the Bandung Message, a set of 41 items adopted Thursday at the conclusion of an Asian-African summit in Jakarta and already signed by other leaders.

Widodo, Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, Myanmar President U Thein Sein, Egyptian Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab and Venezuelan Vice President Jorge Arreaza addressed the commemoration, respectively.

Noting that the international order is still fraught with injustice and imbalance, they agreed that it is of realistic significance for the Asian and African leaders to gather in Bandung to reemphasize the Bandung Spirit and their commitment to common development and prosperity.

Besides the Bandung Message, two other documents were also adopted at the just-concluded Jakarta conference, namely the Declaration on Reinvigorating the New Asian African Strategic Partnership and the Declaration on Palestine.

The summit, themed "Strengthening South-South Cooperation to Promote World Peace and Prosperity," drew together leaders and representatives from some 100 Asian and African nations and international organizations.

Spin?

Belt and Road
A 21st century "silk road", made up of a “belt” of overland corridors and a maritime “road” of shipping lanes.

Beijing’s multibillion dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has been called a Chinese Marshall Plan, a state-backed campaign for global dominance, a stimulus package for a slowing economy, and a massive marketing campaign for something that has already been happening – Chinese investment around the world.

Since President Xi Jinping announced his grand plan to connect Asia, Africa and Europe, the initiative has morphed into a broad catchphrase to describe almost all aspects of Chinese engagement abroad.

From South-east Asia to Eastern Europe and Africa, Belt and Road includes 71 countries that account for half the world’s population and a quarter of global GDP.

Everything from a Trump-affiliated theme park in Indonesia to a jazz camp in Chongqing have been branded Belt and Road. Countries from Panama to Madagascar, South Africa to New Zealand, have officially pledged support.

What is the China Daily?

The China Daily (Chinese: 中国日报) is an English-language daily newspaper owned by the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China and published in the People's Republic of China. It is an important organ in China's propaganda system, and its inner operations are highly secretive.

In 2015 it was China and the so-called "Belt and Road" plan that contextualises the Bandung legacy.

This was the view of the "Voice of America" . . .

"In Bandung, Leaders Slam Imperialist West" 

By Brian Padden
April 24, 2015

JAKARTA - At the 60th anniversary of the Asian African Conference in Indonesia, leaders strongly defended principles of self-determination against modern day imperialism but barely mentioned democracy and human rights. The conference marks the anniversary of the gathering in Bandung, Indonesia, that first brought together leaders from many newly independent nations to discuss collective peace, security and economic issues.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo walked side by side with Chinese President Xi Jinping down Bandung’s main street Friday. The leaders of Swaziland, Madagascar, Sierra Leone, East Timor and Zimbabwe also joined in the ceremonial procession to commemorate the 1955 Asian African Conference that gave a united voice to many countries that had recently gained independence from Western colonial powers.

Also in the front of the procession was former Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri, head of President Widodo’s political party and daughter of the late President Sukarno, who organized the 1955 conference.

Bandung principles

At a ceremony at the Merdeka Building museum, where the first conference took place, President Widodo called on leaders from developing nations to renew their commitment to the Bandung principles established 60 years ago.

“Let us reinvigorate our Bandung struggle," he said. "Let’s continue the struggle of our predecessors 60 years ago. We have to increase our tolerance and work towards world peace.”

The 10 Bandung Principles that emerged from that first conference defended a nation’s right of self determination, opposed outside inference in the internal affairs of a sovereign state, and promoted human rights and the peaceful reconciliation of disputes.

Leaders from Zimbabwe, Myanmar, Egypt, and Venezuela also spoke. They were selected to represent different regions of the world but they have also all faced international sanctions for repressing democratic opposition and other dissenting voices in their own countries.

Mugabe lashes out at US, Western countries

Robert Mugabe, the 91-year-old President of Zimbabwe lashed out at the U.S. and Western countries that he says still violate the sovereignty of many nations, through force and financial sanctions.

“Many among us here present can attest to the incessant assaults on our countries sovereignty and on our national economies by the godfathers of the regime change agenda,” he said.

Both the United States and the European Union this year renewed sanctions against top leaders of Zimbabwe’s government. Sanctions were imposed in 2002 over electoral fraud and human rights abuses.

Combating neo-colonialism

Jorge Arreaza, the Vice President of Venezuela, which this year faced new U.S. sanctions over human rights violations and its treatment of the political opposition, said U.S. imperialism must be opposed.

He says today the challenge is aligning the disenfranchised in facing injustice, in fighting the disrespect of sovereignty and in combating neo-colonialism.

Other leaders addressed the major themes of the conference. Egypt's Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab spoke out in favor of Palestinian independence.

Myanmar’s President Thein Sein focused on economic development through increased cooperation.

More "spin"?

This report echoes, and emphasizes, the U.S. attitude in 1955 towards the challenge of a potential neutral bloc of non-aligned nations across Asia and Africa, whilst the Cold War raged between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. If the 1955 Conference could, at the time, be represented as being "mischievous", Venezuela and Zimbabwe, in the "here and now", are effectively used to represent the political, democratic and economic "failure" of such alternatives to the actually existing globalised system of capitalism, and coupled with the self interest of the United States. 

Useful facts, instead of "alternative facts"!

What is the Voice of America?

Voice of America (VOA) is a U.S. government-funded state owned multimedia agency which serves as the United States federal government's official institution for non-military, external broadcasting. It is the largest U.S. international broadcaster. VOA produces digital, TV, and radio content in more than 40 languages which it distributes to affiliate stations around the globe. It is primarily viewed by foreign audiences, so VOA programming has an influence on public opinion abroad regarding the United States and its leaders.

VOA was established in 1942. Direct programming began a week after the United States’ entry into World War II in December 1941, with the first broadcast from the San Francisco office of the FIS via a leased General Electric’s transmitter to the Philippines in English (other languages followed).

The next step was to broadcast to Germany, which was called Stimmen aus Amerika ("Voices from America") and was transmitted on February 1, 1942.

It was introduced by "The Battle Hymn of the Republic"  and included the pledge: 

"Today, and every day from now on, we will be with you from America to talk about the war... The news may be good or bad for us – We will always tell you the truth."

The VOA charter was signed into law in 1976 by President Gerald Ford. The charter contains its mission; "to broadcast accurate, balanced, and comprehensive news and information to an international audience", and it defines the legally mandated standards in the VOA journalistic code.

Some commentators consider Voice of America to be a form of propaganda. However, VOA's Best Practices Guide states that:

"The accuracy, quality and credibility of the Voice of America are its most important assets, and they rest on the audiences’ perception of VOA as an objective and reliable source of U.S., regional and world news and information."

Surveys show that 84% of VOA's audiences say they trust VOA to provide accurate and reliable information, and a similar percentage (84%) say that VOA helps them understand current events relevant to their lives.

Divide and Rule!

Samir Amin, someone of significance in shaping the methods and approach of this artwork (See > Eurocentrism), mentions the Bandung Conference in an article Political Islam in the Service of Imperialism (Dec 01, 2007), and draws our attention to United States Foreign Policy "interference" with emerging modern sovereign states in Asia and Africa, and against the 10 Bandung Principles that emerged from the 1955 conference that were focused on defending a nation’s right of self determination, and opposing outside inference in the internal affairs of a sovereign state, and promoting human rights and the peaceful reconciliation of disputes. In discussing Political Islam in the context of maintaining neo-imperialist and neo-colonialist "world order", he identifies a process that was to some extent necessarily instigated as a response to the Bandung Conference. He says of United States policy actions:

It is, thus, easy to understand the initiative taken by the United States to break the united front of Asian and African states set up at Bandung (1955) by creating an “Islamic Conference,” immediately promoted (from 1957) by Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. Political Islam penetrated into the region by this means.

He says this having identified how:

Political Islam would have had much more difficulty in moving out from the borders of Saudi Arabia and Pakistan without the continual, powerful, and resolute support of the United States. Saudi Arabian society had not even begun its move out of tradition when petroleum was discovered under its soil. The alliance between imperialism and the traditional ruling class, sealed immediately, was concluded between the two partners and gave a new lease on life to Wahabi political Islam. On their side, the British succeeded in breaking Indian unity by persuading the Muslim leaders to create their own state, trapped in political Islam at its very birth. It should be noted that the theory by which this curiosity was legitimated—attributed to Mawdudi—had been completely drawn up beforehand by the English Orientalists in His Majesty’s service.

When, following the defeat in 1945 of Germany in World War II, the economic re-construction of Europe required the United States to reconsider its policy of reducing the industrial capacity of the German economy by turning it into a non-industrial pastoral state, because this policy was unsustainable on many counts.

In March 1947, former US President Herbert Hoover, in one of his reports from Germany, argued for a change in US occupation policy, among other things stating:

There is the illusion that the New Germany left after the annexations can be reduced to a 'pastoral state' (Morgenthau's vision). It cannot be done unless we exterminate or move 25,000,000 people out of it. 

The Marshall Plan replaced the previous Morgenthau Plan, operating for four years from April 3, 1948. The new goals of the United States policy were to rebuild war-torn regions, remove trade barriers, modernize industry, improve European prosperity, and prevent the spread of Communism. The Marshall Plan required a reduction of interstate barriers, a dropping of many regulations, and encouraged an increase in productivity, as well as the adoption of modern business procedures. This policy also provided a set of multi-lateral connections within the western European alliance with the United States, thereby creating a potential for a partnership with a group of European states.

United States policy towards establishing future economic and political relationships in Asia was significantly different. Immediately after World War II the United States was not particularly interested in being involved in East Asia and was concentrating in its role in Europe. The outbreak of the war in Korea changed all that. Japan's economy was to benefit from its role as a highly functional geographic location for the United States as it was to conduct its military operations during and after this conflict. Japan was under Allied Occupation, codenamed Operation Blacklist, when the Korean War began. Occupation lasted until the San Francisco Peace Treaty was signed on September 8, 1951, and made effective from April 28, 1952, after which Japan's sovereignty – with the exception, until 1972, of the Ryukyu Islands – was fully restored.

So it was that the U.S. started building its bilateral relations in East Asia with Japan. At the San Francisco Conference in September 1951 the US signed the US-Japan treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security. Later on it moved to sign a Mutual Defenses Treaty with the Philippines in August 1951, the US-Republic of Korea Defense treaty with Republic of Korea in October 1953, and the US-Republic of China security treaty with China in December 1954. With these treaties the US was able to construct what is known as the Hub and Spokes System, also known as the San Francisco System, a network of bilateral alliances pursued by the United States in East Asia. 

The United States became the 'hub', and Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Australia became the 'spokes', a system made of political-military and economic commitments between the United States and its Pacific allies. It allowed the United States to develop exclusive postwar relationships with the Republic of Korea (ROK), the Republic of China (ROC or Taiwan), and Japan, and it remains the most dominant security architecture in East Asia up to now.

This hub-and-spokes system, with the United States as the "hub" and no apparent connections between the "spokes" allowed the U.S to exercise effective control over the smaller allies of the East Asia. The legacy of the system is continuing until today. In contrast with the multilateral security architecture of the NATO alliance, it is represented by the absence of multilateral relationships. 

Over the years, East Asian nations began to recognize the value of multilateralism and began forming indigenous multilateral security mechanisms, which the U.S. is not a member of, such as the ASEAN and APEC associations. But, these are merely considered as venues for ‘talks’ about various security issues but having no concrete plans for execution. One of the causes of this phenomena is due to the 1997 Asian financial crisis, where some regional states realized the importance of an ‘exit/entry option’ for regional economic stability aside from the U.S. This has been characterized as a challenge to the U.S.-led hub-and-spokes system, as the nations in the region increased their interactions with China, making the bilateral alliances as a hedging option.

China, with its Belt and Road Initiative, seems to be, as a potential rival global power to the United States hegemony, adopting a similar system of China as the hub and the spokes formed with nations across Africa, Asia and west of the Urals into Eastern and Central Europe.

CNBC World

Watch this space!