Journal of East China Normal University (Philosoph ›› 2018, Vol. 50 ›› Issue (5): 81-88.doi: 10.16382/j.cnki.1000-5579.2018.05.011

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The Echo of Korean War in Burma: Reconsidering the Origins of U Nu Administration's Neutral Diplomacy

LIANG Zhi   

  • Online:2018-09-15 Published:2018-09-19

Abstract: Although Burma declared that it would implement neutral diplomacy in 1948-1950,U Nu administration hoped to form an alliance with Western countries. After the Korean War broke out,U Nu administration quickly realized that joining the Western Bloc would cause damage to Burma's national security and consequently tried to pursue neutral diplomacy between Eastern Bloc and Western Bloc at the United Nations. Similarly, because of the Korean War, Truman administration decided to support KMT remnantsclandestinely. This kind of behavior that infringed Burma's sovereignty enabled U Nu administration to stop receiving U.S. economic assistance in March 1953 while expand bilateral economic and trade cooperation with China. In a word,the Korean War played a very important role in shaping Burma's neutral diplomacy. This case study shows the cross-regional impacts of major Cold War events. Or more specifically, transformation in the relationship between East and West occurred in one region caused the changes of some country's international environment in another region or even its foreign strategy.

Key words: Korean War, Burma, United Nations, KMT remnants, neutral diplomacy