The Emergence of an Asian Communist Coalition

Abstract

Since the Moscow conference of Communist and Workers Parties in 1960, the Chinese People's Republic has acquired important support for its position in ideological op position to the Soviet Union from a number of other parties, especially in Asia. The emergence of what amounts to an Asian Communist coalition enhances the practical possibility of a split in the world movement. A split, however, is contrary to the interests of the Asian parties. Their support for China reflects their individual interests and a polycentric trend. North Korea and North Vietnam both attach a high priority to national unification. They are encouraged by the Chinese and, in different degrees, restrained by the Soviet Union. This has brought their positions on imperialism closer to that of China. Both regimes have embarked on development plans intended to achieve structural changes in their economies, and both receive assistance from a number of bloc countries. The organizational demands of these plans have strengthened their opposition to revisionism and their support of national inde pendence in the bloc. Somewhat parallel ideological develop ments in the Japanese and Indonesian parties are traceable to a need to preserve organizational integrity. The viability of the coalition is dubious in case of a split but real and impor tant if even minimum bloc solidarity is maintained.