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Print Edition> Opinion
UPDATED: April 20, 2015 NO. 17 APRIL 23, 2015
Keeping a 60-Year-Old Ethos Alive
By Lan Xinzhen
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This year marks the 60th anniversary of the Bandung Conference, also referred to as the Asian-African Conference. The question of how best to promote the spirit of the conference and boost the common development of Asian and African countries under a set of ever-changing circumstances requires careful deliberation. As a participant in the original conference, China is committed to inheriting and advocating its principles.

Compared with 60 years ago, the global situation has undergone a sea change. When the conference was first held, the participating nations lived in the shadow of colonial rule and were seeking political independence, while today, these countries are confronting problems related to economic development. Six decades ago, most of the conference's attendees possessed relatively low international standing, whereas now China, India and South Africa have developed into major countries in the world. These changes have prompted some to wonder if the international community need still pursue the spirit of the Bandung Conference.

The value of the aforementioned ethos in today's world is beyond question. It is, after all, partly owing to the spirit of the event and the resulting 10 Principles of Bandung that so many Asian and African countries were able to throw off the shackles of colonial rule and won the opportunity to develop and rise to the international stage. Having once fallen prey to colonialism, Asian and African countries should be able to realize the importance of a spirit of fraternity and the collective benefit derived from it.

China has been an active practitioner of the Bandung ethos over the past 60 years. The ethos, which refers to the aspirations of Asian and African countries to oppose colonialism and racism, to strive for and consolidate sovereign independence, to safeguard world peace and to seek peaceful coexistence and cooperation with other countries, represents a common heritage for these countries. The Bandung Conference, the first international conference exclusively organized by Asian and African countries, constituted a remarkable milestone in the history of international relations in the East.

The principles have laid a solid foundation for building a more equitable and rational international political and economic order. The values of solidarity, friendship and cooperation endorsed by the conference have strengthened collaboration among Asian and African countries and boosted world peace and progress at large. China's current policy toward its neighbors, characterized by amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness, is also in keeping with the spirit of the conference.

At present, China is pushing forward the Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road Initiative, a blueprint expected to benefit countries in Asia, Africa and Europe. For such an initiative to be put into practice and achieve tangible results, the Bandung ethos should be observed. The Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence championed by China should in particular be emphasized. The five principles, which espouse mutual respect for each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, as well as peaceful coexistence, are still germane to international relations today. Such principles guarantee a peaceful international environment conducive to the implementation of schemes such as the Belt and Road Initiative.

The Bandung ethos may also have implications for the proposed Asian community with a shared future. China will assimilate into the Asian community with a new vision, that is, helping other Asian countries develop cooperative partnerships following the spirit of the original conference.

That said, however, the Bandung ethos should be adapted to new circumstances. For example, as China has become the second largest economy in the world, the issues of how the country can take the lead in boosting cooperation among Asian and African countries and what role the Belt and Road Initiative will play both have to be given due consideration.

The Chinese leadership has on multiple occasions pledged its commitment to further bolstering communication with other countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative. However, security issues such as territorial disputes in the South China Sea have continued to hamper China's cooperation with some of the aforementioned countries. The situation is far more tangled than it was 60 years ago when Asian countries were by and large united in one front against colonialism. If China is to find an effective way of cooperating with its partners in the process of rolling out the new initiative, it should not only inherit but also reinvigorate the spirit of the Bandung Conference.

Copyedited by Eric Daly

Comments to lanxinzhen@bjreview.com



 
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