Reviving the Bandung spirit in a multipolar world: China Daily
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As the global order shifts, the 70th anniversary of the Bandung Conference offers China and Indonesia a chance to revive multilateralism and Global South unity.
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Flag bearers carrying the national flags of participating countries march during the reenactment of the historic walk from 1955 along Asia Africa Street to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the Asian African Conference outside Merdeka (Freedom) Building in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia, Friday, April 24, 2015. (AP)
As the international order faces mounting pressures from rising populism, de-globalization, and weakened multilateral institutions, the enduring relevance of the Bandung Conference—a historic milestone in Global South solidarity—demands renewed attention. Marking its 70th anniversary, this moment is not merely a call for nostalgia but a critical opportunity to reengage with the Bandung Spirit and its core principles of sovereignty, equality, and cooperative development.
In this context, Muhammad Habib Abiyan Dzakwan, a researcher at the Department of International Relations at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Indonesia, and Wang Yuehong, an assistant researcher at the RCEP Research Institute at the China Institute for Reform and Development, provide a timely reflection on how emerging powers such as China and Indonesia can revitalize these ideals for today’s shifting geopolitical and economic landscape.
Their commentary, contributed to China Watch, a think tank powered by China Daily, explores the challenges facing the global economic order and highlights pathways for restoring trust in multilateralism and inclusive regional cooperation.
Fractured global landscape, the return of populism
The post-war era was once characterized by multilateral cooperation, an open global economy, and a rules-based international order. That foundation is now fracturing, as per the piece. Internally, many political leaders are prioritizing power consolidation over democratic or cooperative values. Externally, disillusionment with globalization—fueled by job displacement and declining domestic industries—is accelerating the trend toward de-globalization.
More alarmingly, populist rhetoric is increasingly shaping the policies of one global superpower, whose influence extends deeply across both hard and soft power domains. This dynamic threatens the very norms that once underpinned international stability.
The Bandung conference at 70: Principles for new era
In this turbulent context, the 70th anniversary of the Bandung Conference serves not as a nostalgic milestone but as a call to action. Held in 1955, the conference brought together newly independent Asian and African states seeking to assert their sovereignty and resist dominance by Cold War superpowers.
The conference emphasized respect for human rights, the right to self-defense, and the peaceful resolution of disputes—principles rooted in the UN Charter. These ideals reflected the collective aspiration of the Global South to construct a more just international system.
UN and challenge of modern multilateralism
Despite its symbolic value, the United Nations has struggled to uphold the very ideals the Bandung Conference sought to promote. The transition from a bipolar world to unipolar dominance weakened the UN’s capacity to respond to global crises. Recent wars—from Ukraine to the Middle East—underscore this institutional shortfall, as per the piece.
Compounding the challenge, a major global actor’s withdrawal from several UN bodies and international treaties has set a precedent that risks normalizing disengagement. Simultaneously, wealthier nations are gravitating toward "minilateral" mechanisms—exclusive, interest-based coalitions that risk sidelining universal institutions and undermining collective problem-solving.
Economic justice and the crisis of global trade
The Bandung Spirit also laid out a bold economic vision: one that rejected zero-sum competition in favor of mutual benefit and global justice. These ideals were later echoed in the UN General Assembly’s New International Economic Order, but they faced significant setbacks, particularly after the collapse of the Doha Development Agenda in 2008.
A more recent disruption stems from Washington’s revised trade approach. The US has implemented sweeping reciprocal tariffs affecting both treaty allies and developing economies, such as Thailand, the Philippines, Cambodia, and Myanmar. These measures nullify previous trade agreements and signal a sharp turn toward protectionism, the piece warns. With the World Trade Organization’s appellate body stalled since 2019, the global trade system is adrift, reinforcing the urgency of revisiting Bandung’s economic principles.
China and Indonesia’s role in revitalizing Bandung ideals
The continued relevance of the Bandung principles, as per the piece, depends on the leadership of nations that once championed them. China and Indonesia, as major Global South actors, are well-positioned to modernize and advance this legacy.
To counter the decline in multilateral governance, Beijing and Jakarta must ensure that their global and regional initiatives support, rather than compete with, established institutions. Encouraging signs include the 2023 BRICS Summit’s Johannesburg II Declaration and the informal BRICS consultations on WTO reform. As BRICS expands, reaffirming shared commitments to equity and cooperation is vital. Platforms like G77+China and the G20 offer additional venues to push for institutional revitalization.
In response to economic fragmentation, both countries must promote inclusive regionalism. Notable achievements include the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), renewed trilateral dialogue in East Asia, and the upgrade of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area to version 3.0, which emphasizes digital and green economies. Still, these efforts must be embedded in a broader framework of international solidarity and shared responsibility.
The current wave of tariff-centric policies and economic nationalism demands coordinated responses. Rather than reviving the liberal economic order of the past, nations must craft updated global norms that address present-day disruptions. This involves balancing national interests with the collective good, core tenets of the Bandung Spirit.
“Only by remaining mindful and agile can the life expectancy of the Bandung principles be extended for another 70 years and beyond," the authors maintain.
