A rebuke to China

Press, 19 December 1981, Page 16

A rebuke to China

Although he does not mention China by name, the comment by the Malaysian Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohammad, was clearly a reference to China when he said that coexistence with Communist States should be based on the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries. Dr Mahathir was speaking at a banquet given in his honour in Singapore. He knew very well that in saying what he did he would be speaking not only for Malaysia and Singapore but for the rest of the Association of SouthEast Asian Nations — Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines—and even for the other countries in the area.

For many years China supported communist insurgents in a number of South-East Asian countries. It supplied them with arms, with propaganda support, and with backing in various other ways. When some of the countries of the area established diplomatic relations with China this support was one of the most contentious subjects discussed between China and the countries that established relations with China. Eventually Chairman Mao, then ruling China, let it be understood that the Chinese Government was not giving any material assistance to the insurgents; on the other hand there would continue to be party-to-party relations. This was some comfort to the countries facing insurgencies but it was not much comfort. It amounted to saying that the Chinese Government, as such, would not assist for example the Communist Party of Malaysia, but the Chinese Communist Party might do so. At best it was a curious sample of saving face.

In time some more precise undertakings appeared to have been given by the Chinese, and the countries of SouthEast Asia had reason to believe that the insurgents were no longer getting arms from China—from the Government or the Communist Party. One of the complaints raised by countries such as Malaysia was that Communist propaganda and encouragement to Communist insurgents was given by a radio station, the Voice of

Malayan Revolution, which broadcast from Southern China. Under pressure from Malaysia, China stopped these broadcasts. Last July another radio station—or possibly the same one—began broadcasting from inside Thailand. This time it was known as the Voice of Malayan Democracy. Still another radio station makes similar broadcasts. It is these broadcasts to which Dr Mahathir is referring when he complains about interference in internal affairs. The Communists of Malaysia and Singapore are believed not to be receiving weapons from China. Their arms consist mainly of World War II stock. The radio broadcasts may, however, have, assistance from China. The situation is complicated by ethnic differences. In Malaysia the racial balance between the Malays and the Chinese people is of enormous significance. To Malaysia it is not always clear whether China wants to extend its influence for reasons of communist policy or to extend the power of China as such. There are strong divisions of opinion about China throughout SouthEast Asia. One argument is that although Vietnam, backed by the Soviet Union, represents the most immediate threat to the area, the greatest long-term threat is from China.

Of the A.S.E.A.N. countries, neither Indonesia nor Singapore have exchanged ambassadors with China. The suspicions that are held about China are not likely to be laid to rest while China supports insurgents in South-East Asian countries, even if such support is limited to providing radio equipment for propaganda broadcasts. The fact that the Malaysian Prime Minister has voiced this criticism of China is a sign that, in spite of the good relations that China has established with most A.S.E.A.N. countries, whether formal links have been established or not, China has to stop any double dealing. The difficulty that South-East Asian countries have in dealing with China was perhaps best summed up by the Malaysian Foreign Minister. He referred to having to deal in sweet and sour relations.