[Marxism] Vietnam backs China efforts for "fair world order"

["Fred Feldman" <ffeldman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

One of the many contradictions of the rise of China is the change in the
country's foreign policy since the last year of Mao.  From hostility to
Cuba and Vietnam to strong friendship, for example. The class struggle
at home -- what is sometimes called "domestic policy" is the ultimate
determinant of foreign policy, but the links between them are so complex
that, of course, no definitive conclusions can be drawn about the
character of a country from an examination of foreign policy alone.

We should remember that in 1979, China invaded Vietnam at the cost of
tens of thousands of Chinese and Vietnamese lives, and that it armed
proimperialist as well as Pol Pot-ist forces allied to imperialism
against Vietnam.

Today, Vietnam -- which won that brief but bloody and very damaging war
-- expresses pretty firm confidence in China's attitude on foreign
policy matters that concern their interests.
Fred Feldman


China working for fair world order: Hu

HANOI, Nov 1: Chinese President Hu Jintao on Tuesday tried to calm fears
in Asia about Beijing's growing might, but left no doubt that China
intends to re-balance a unipolar world dominated by the United States.

Given a rare invitation to address the Vietnamese parliament, Mr Hu said
Asian nations should stick together and that they had nothing to fear
from China's increasing political and economic muscle.

"China's development is peaceful, broad-based and cooperative," he said.
"China's development poses an obstacle to no one and undermines no one.
On the contrary, it benefits peace, stability and global prosperity."

But he made it clear that China had designs on redressing the global
balance with the only remaining superpower, a regular concern of the
Chinese communist leadership.

"China will actively promote the process of multi-polarization,
globalization and the establishment of a fair political and economic
world order," he said.

"The major changes in China are linked to the fact that we have found a
way of developing that is in line with the Chinese situation."

The Chinese leader arrived in Hanoi on Monday for his first trip to the
communist country since becoming president, after an official visit to
Beijing by his Vietnamese counterpart Tran Duc Luong in July.

Beijing, which has seen 9.4 per cent economic growth over the first nine
months of the year, has stepped up its efforts over recent years to
increase its influence and trade ties in the region.

China and the 10 members of the Association of South East Asian Nations
(ASEAN) decided in November last year to create a free trade zone of two
billion people - the largest in the world by population, by 2020.

The two have struck an accord aimed at reducing tariffs to between zero
and five per cent on certain types of goods.

It will apply to the six most advanced ASEAN economies - Brunei,
Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand - by 2010,
and to Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and Myanmar by 2015.

China's immense sway, however, worries certain countries in Southeast
Asia, and Beijing often states its good intentions.

"Asia is our shared home. China's development is tied to Asia," Mr Hu
said.

"With Asian countries, we foresee reaching an understanding in the
political sphere, mutually profitable cooperation in the economic sphere
and trust and cooperation in security matters."

A Western diplomat said: "The Chinese need to reassure other nations and
indeed reassure themselves."

"Small countries fear losing control over their domestic markets while
rich ones such as Singapore are afraid of being sidelined," the diplomat
said.

Mr Hu also underlined the very close links between Vietnam's and China's
communist parties.

Experts say Hanoi can undertake few reforms without the tacit support of
Beijing, even more so as Vietnam prepares for the 10th Congress of its
communist party next year.

They also point out that Mr Hu's visit comes after Vietnamese Prime
Minister Phan Van Khai in June became the first Vietnamese head of
government to visit Washington since the end of the war between the two
countries in 1975.

"The Vietnamese comrades present here are interested in China's
development, and we also are very closely watching Vietnam's
development," Mr Hu said.

"Leaders of both sides agree it is in the basic interests of China and
Vietnam and their people to promote friendly mutual trust, cooperation
for mutual benefits and common development between the two countries and
the CPC and the CPV."

Mr Hu was expected to leave Hanoi on Wednesday morning after a trip to
the central city of Danang was cancelled due to bad weather. -AFP


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