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Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. Volume 38, Number 26. 1975

Countries want independence, nations want liberation and people want revolution

Countries want independence, nations want liberation and people want revolution

Today, ten years after the US poured troops into Vietnam by the thousand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos have finally been liberated from foreign domination. The decisive victory of the revolutionary forces in Indochina forced the pro-US governments of Thailand and the Philippines to abandon their American masters' military "protection."

But the defeat of US imperialism by the people of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos was not the only factor in Seato's demise. Over the past two years the pro-US governments of South East Asia, with the exception of Singapore and Indonesia (which froze diplomatic relations with China in 1965), have come to terms with the People's Republic of China. Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand have now established diplomatic relations with the country their leaders once tried to isolate.

However, imperialism has not suffered its final defeat in the Asian region. The US continues to try and provoke another war in Korea. Western transnational companies, principally American and Japanese, continue to plunder the resources and exploit the working people of Asia. Corrupt, pro-Western governments continue to survive on western dollars and ruthless political repression in a number of Asian countries.

Cartoon by R. Cobb of a child clutching a bloody chest after being stabbed by a toy soldier

With the decline of US imperialism in Asia the new Tsars of the Soviet Union have seen an opportunity to extend their influence. From their firm base of political and economic dominance in India and Bangladesh, the Soviet leaders have attempted to use economic "aid", trade, military 'cooperation' and finally KGB agents to infiltrate a number of Asian countries. Throughout Asia Soviet meddling in other countries' internal affairs is now seen as a major threat.

New Zealand's foreign policy in Asia has been forced to change because of the victories won by the Asian people through bitter struggle. The Labour Government has at least begun to recognise the implications of these victories while the National Party has engaged in hollow sabrerattling. The changes in our foreign policy are best illustrated by New Zealand's warm and growing ties with China in a great variety of fields. Only three years ago the National Party still maintained its arrogant attitude of ignoring Peoples China. Today that policy seems like a bitter memory of the past That shows that we are living through a time of historic change in Asia. The clock can never be turned back.