Online Session A3

Ideological and Political Reconfigurations in Asia and Beyond

More than the Civil War: Chinese Intellectuals and Visions for Post-war Asia, 1945-1949 

Yui Chim Lo 

Chinese intellectuals in the twentieth century have often been examined under a national context: how they responded to national crises or interacted with major political parties. This paper shifts the focus beyond China by considering how Chinese intellectuals after the Second World War, a period usually associated with the Chinese Civil War, imagined post-war Asia. It argues that Chinese intellectuals envisioned a politically and economically independent Asia, attempting to transcend the Cold War and the Civil War, but eventually finding themselves caught up in China’s division. This paper takes as a case study an overlooked post-war journal 'Yazhou Shiji' (Asia’s Century), which had ties with the ruling Nationalist Party but also contributions from left-leaning authors. Rather than narrowly conceiving of decolonisation as the transfer of power, the contributors argued for tackling socio-economic and political legacies of colonialism. Despite the journal’s connections with the pro-US Nationalist Party, many authors criticised both superpowers, echoing Indian intellectuals who favoured non-alignment. Authors were initially optimistic about Asia’s future, a sentiment overlooked in the Civil War framework. Yet the Nationalists’ looming defeat led them to interfere more in the journal, which then advocated an anti-communist Sino-Japanese friendship, anticipating the post-1949 Taipei-Tokyo rapprochement.

Tugging back and forth in dealing with the predicament and calling for justice: A case analysis of Chan Tong-kai 

Wei Yu 

This study investigates the discursive negotiations between different stakeholders regarding the 2019 Fugitive Ordinance Amendment in Hong Kong. This amendment was triggered by a murder case which happened in Taiwan. The murder suspect and the victim are both from Hong Kong. The murder suspect is still not sentenced due to the lack of regional mutual legal assistance between Hong Kong and Taiwan. This amendment, aiming to solve this legal dilemma, leads to massive protests in Hong Kong and evolved to a political issue. Via the examination of the discourses from various stakeholders, including the Hong Kong government, Hong Kong citizens, the Taiwan government, and the former colony, this study argues that public discourse, political discourse and legal discourse intermingles and affect the development and solution towards the legal dilemma of this murder case.

Exploring India-Australia Relations: A Role Theory Perspective 

Sanchari Ghosh 

The Indo-Pacific region has emerged as a key theatre in contemporary global geopolitics, with India and Australia playing pivotal roles that influence regional stability, security, and economic integration. This paper analyzes the India-Australia relationship within the Indo-Pacific, utilizing role theory as a guiding framework. We delve into the historical background of India-Australia relations, their respective roles in the region, and the role expectations placed upon them by other actors, including neighbouring countries and great powers. Moreover, we scrutinize the role performance of India and Australia, assessing how they align with, adapt to, or diverge from these role expectations. 

The research is significant as it contributes to the scholarly discourse on role theory, a well-established theoretical lens in international relations, by applying it to a complex and evolving region like the Indo-Pacific. Furthermore, it sheds light on the multifaceted roles India and Australia undertake, not only in their bilateral interactions but also in the broader multilateral context, including their participation in forums like the Quad and ASEAN. This examination provides valuable insights into the potential for cooperation, competition, and conflict in the Indo-Pacific and offers a deeper understanding of the complex interplay between state identity, role expectations, and regional dynamics.

"Death to Teng Hsiao-ping! Long Live Revolution!": Splits in Anglo-American Maoism after Mao 

Pete Millwood 

This paper examines the divergent reactions of American, British, and Australian Maoists to the post-Mao transition in China. As Deng Xiaoping ushered in a post-Mao political and social order that broke with many of the aspects of Maoism that had attracted political radicals abroad, Maoists in the United States, the UK, and Australia had two starkly divergent reactions: some remained loyal to the Chinese government and mirrored Deng's de-revolutionary turn, while others proclaimed "Death to Teng Hsiao-ping! Long Live Revolution!" and continued the Maoist cause even if China had abandoned Maoism. This paper considers these starkly different historical answers to the question of transnational democratic centralism and the consequences for Maoism and leftism in the Anglophone world and more broadly.