Interview: Bandung spirit still has strong vitality: Indonesian expert

The solidarity, friendship and cooperation, or the Bandung Spirit, developed at the Asian-African Conference, also known as the Bandung Conference 60 years ago, remains vibrant and still has strong vitality nowadays, an Indonesian expert has said.

In an exclusive interview with Xinhua after the 60th anniversary of the Bandung conference which was attended by leaders and delegates from some 100 Asian and African countries in Indonesia last week, Indonesian political analyst Bambang Suryono said the spirit still holds great significance and applies today.

The Bandung Spirit, containing the Ten Principles of Bandung Conference on handling state-to-state relations and the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, became a widely recognized set of norms for international relations.

"The spirit had inspirited Asian and African people to struggle against the imperialism, colonialism, hegemonism and pursue national independence and people's liberation," Bambang said, adding that it also opened the prelude of non-aligned movement and pushed the changes of the international orders.

However, Bambang stated that the international political and economic order, which is unfair and irrational, has not yet changed fundamentally, the world is still unpeaceful, evidenced by the territorial disputes, terrorism, religious conflict.

"Therefore, Bandung Spirit is still of profound significance to handle the international order and govern the relations between states," he said.

Bambang reviewed that the root causes of the rampant terrorism, the worsening Middle East situation, territory disputation, the widening North-South gap and other regional and international issues are the haunting of hegamonism and power politics.

Bambang said in the 21st century some countries still place their agencies and proxies in global strategic locations, depress some religion and peoples' voice, interfere in the internal affairs of other countries, invade sovereign states under the banner of "humanitarianism" and "human rights protection," and export the self-righteous values. All of these actions are running totally counter to the spirit of Bandung.

Bambang said it has proved that the hegemonism and power politics have been abandoned by all the people who love peace and the Bandung Spirit is the guiding norm for the world stability and international relations.

"For all the countries in the world, fulfilling the Bandung Spirit, respecting state sovereignty and territorial integrity and practicing non-interference in a country's internal affairs, equal and peaceful coexistence are the key to world's ultimate peace and prosperity."

Bambang said the then Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai joined the Bandung conference in 1955 and made great contribution to the conclusion of Bandung Spirit and the success of the meeting.

"As the biggest developing country, for 60 years, China always support, fulfill and carry forward the spirit of Bandung," Bambang reiterated.

Bambang said China has successfully become world's second largest economy by self-reliance. During the development, China always treats the other countries equally, respects for state sovereignty, and advances the developing countries to be an important emerging force in the global stage.

Chinese President Xi Jinping attended last Wednesday's Asian- African Summit here and made an important keynote speech. Commenting on Xi's concept of community of common destiny for mankind, Bambang said it's a visionary proposal which promotes the Bandung Spirit to a new high and reflected the global significance of Bandung Spirit.

"President Xi's initiative is of great importance for reducing the conflict among civilizations and religions as well as promoting world peace, stability and prosperity," Bambang added. Endi