Cable from the Chinese Embassy in Indonesia, 'Various Indonesian Groups are Paying Attention to the Bogor Conference'

Vice Minister has read this

Forward to: Chen [Jiakang], Gong [Peng]

Priority level: Rush

From: Indonesia

Date: 1954, December 18

Already forwarded to: Zhou [Enlai], Deng [Xiaoping], Chen Yi, [Xi] Zhongxun, Foreign Ministry, [Wang] Jiaxiang, [Li] Kenong, Su [Yu], Unified Military [Command], Military Intelligence

Various Indonesian Groups are Paying Attention to the Bofor Conference

To the Ministry of Foreign Affairs:

Various groups in Indonesia are paying close attention to the Bogor Conference, [which is] the springboard to the convocation of the Afro-Asian Conference. Various government parties’ newspapers have been offering evaluations, and hold high regards for the holding of the conference. Indonesia and the Committee Secretariat conducted an expansion of the conference on the 12th; they made the following resolutions regarding the convocation of the Afro-Asian Conference:

(1) The Bogor Conference will not fail, [it] should decide to convoke the Afro-Asian Conference;

(2) The conference should be for the participation of all Afro-Asian countries;

(3) Agreements in the conference should be based on the principle of peaceful co-existence; resolve the issue of national independence of Afro-Asian peoples and [establish] mutually beneficial economic and cultural relationships;

(4) Appeal to all people in their entirety to welcome and push for the success of the Afro-Asian Conference.

On the 14th, the People’s Daily expressed their welcome towards this resolution, but pointed out that in the future if the Bandung Conference is unwilling to only become the Afro-Asian Conference in name, then it should allow all Afro-Asian countries to participate. And it said that countries like the Philippines, Thailand, the People’s Republic of China, the Soviet Union, etc., have the right and it may even be said a responsibility to attend the future Bandung Conference.

The same day, Indonesian news claimed: As political disputes in Asia develop, it makes the political power of Afro-Asian countries become more concrete. It would not be strange if in the future Asia becomes a high potential political region or the region of world political trends. If we include the People’s Republic of China, the population of Afro-Asian countries is large; almost double the population of western countries; it is this enormous power that makes Afro-Asian countries submit their fate to organizations like the United Nations. The [attempts] of imperialism to obstruct and fracture the solidarity of Asian countries is futile. Due to the development of the situation in Asia, [we] cannot idly watch on the side; in addition [we] cannot view the leaders of various Asian governments as the followers of western countries. Regarding solidifying the foundation of Afro-Asian countries – the Afro-Asian Conference in Indonesia will serve an extremely valuable and crucial purpose.

The same day, the newspaper column of the Eastern Star also said: “Indonesia holds great hope for the preparation work of this Afro-Asian Conference.”

On the 16th, a column in the English language newspaper the Observer claimed: The Prime Minister of Ceylon hinted that he will bring up the issue of the American pilots at the Bogor Conference, which will cause the conference to face a difficult issue. The entire conference’s attention is focused upon preparing for the convocation of the Afro-Asian Conference in March next year; but this incident involves the issues of war and peace; if the Bogor Conference is asked to be a mediator then it can only attempt to find a solution that would not cause either side to lose face. The same newspaper also said: Asia’s neutral countries are currently gradually moving towards the forefront of international political affairs. Yet, in April this year the Colombo conference has already done so and the Geneva conference [has already] accepted the resolution of the five Asian countries regarding Indochina; this time [Asia’s countries] can also accept the [responsibility] of resolving the issue of the detainment of American pilots in order to eliminate tension. The five countries of Asia are not alone, Afro-Asian countries with the same views are currently joining their group in order to expand the region and strengthen their wish for the maintenance of peace.

Indonesia is extremely proud to be the host of this conference of historical significance.

Huang Zhen

18 December [1954]