The Bandung Conference

New States Claim a Place in Diplomacy

The Bandung Conference brought representatives of twenty-nine Asian and African countries to Indonesia from 18 to 24 April 1955. Many had recently emerged from colonial rule, while other peoples were still fighting for independence. The sponsors—Burma, Ceylon, India, Indonesia, and Pakistan—sought cooperation among governments whose voices had often been marginal in conferences dominated by European powers. Ceylon is now Sri Lanka, and Burma is also known as Myanmar. [1] [2]

Participants included states aligned with the United States, governments seeking to remain outside the Cold War blocs, and the People’s Republic of China. Their common objection to colonial domination did not erase disagreement about communism, defense agreements, or particular territorial disputes. [2]

Sovereignty Had Economic and Social Meaning

Delegates called for exchanges of technical experts, training, more development finance, and consultation over commodity trade. They proposed government liaison officers to maintain exchanges of information after the conference and expressly disclaimed the creation of a regional economic bloc. [1]

Delegates condemned racial segregation and supported self-determination. American officials followed these arguments closely because support for European allies and continuing segregation at home complicated Washington’s claims to favor freedom and equality. [1] [2]

A Common Declaration

The agreed principles endorsed sovereignty, equality, noninterference, peaceful settlement, and the right of collective self-defense. They also opposed using collective defense arrangements to serve a great power’s particular interests. Delegates sought wider United Nations membership and fairer representation of Asian and African countries. [1]

In Washington, Secretary of State John Foster Dulles privately told the cabinet on 29 April that the outcome had been better for American interests than he had feared. He credited friendly Asian governments and acknowledged Zhou Enlai’s ability to adapt. Bandung helped establish the political language from which the later Non-Aligned Movement developed. [3] [2]

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