[Marxism] Philippine Maoists denounce China

[Louis Proyect <lnp3@xxxxxxxxx>]

Philippine rebels say China abandoned Maoist cause
03 May 2005 07:55:34 GMT
Source: Reuters

MANILA, May 3 (Reuters) - Philippine communist rebels, turning from allies
to critics of China, said on Tuesday that Beijing's shift to a capitalist
economy had undermined some revolutionary movements in Southeast Asia.

The 8,000-member New People's Army (NPA), which drew ideological
inspiration from China's first generation of communist leaders, has been
waging a violent guerrilla war for more than 35 years to overthrow the
Philippine government.

The Communist Party of the Philippines' central committee accused Beijing
of abandoning support for armed struggles in Southeast Asia "in exchange
for China's accommodation by Washington into the world capitalist system".

"Our revolutionary forces and people resolutely oppose the U.S.-led
campaign for neoliberal globalisation, while China has welcomed it and
relished membership in the WTO (World Trade Organisation)," it said in a
statement.

Philippine communist leaders, most of them living in exile in Western
Europe, felt hurt and orphaned by the changes in China, rebel officials said.

The Philippine communists, blacklisted by the United States as a terrorist
group, used to enjoy party-to-party relations with China in the late 1960s,
with the NPA rebels receiving weapons and money.

That ended when Beijing and Manila established diplomatic ties in 1975.

The two countries marked 30 years of relations with a state visit by
Chinese President Hu Jintao last week. During Hu's trip, China signed deals
for $1.6 billion worth of loans and investments in Philippine mining and
infrastructure projects.

Philippine Defence Secretary Avelino Cruz said on Thursday the government
intended to use $1.2 million in military aid from China to strengthen its
campaign against the communist rebels.

"We want to get this aid in the form of equipment because we will start
building what we call 'freedom' roads in 500 conflict areas in several
regions where there had been very strong rebel presence and activities,"
Cruz told reporters.

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