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78
China gains 8 position on the international forum ite
strident echoes of the USSR on the subject of Anglo-American
imperialism will have the weight of an Asian voice which
has been 'successfuld in its revolution. I think that we
should not underestimate the fact that the Communist success
in China 18 seen as a successful revolution in many parts
of Asia. It seems to me that in a case of that sort on the
international forum our best defense will be the kind of
diplomatic astuteness which Mr. Hendersor has had in India
and above al our actual record, about which, it seems to
me, we insist on being far too modest.
In my opinion this question of the overseas Chinese
and the opportunity they offer Communist China for clan-
a SERVICE^
destine and diplomatic infiltrations in Southeast Asia is
one of the greatest hazards to US interests in the area.
Unfortuna tely, in terms of other considerations recogn1-
tion may have to be granted to the People's Republic and
the attendant liabilities reckoned with.
In addition to the difficulties posed by the overseas
Chinese and the recognition of Communist China, which are
immediate, there are long-range difficulties. The popula-
tion problem, particularly in relation to the food supply,
is perhaps one of the major ones. The Far East as a whole
occupies a unique position in world economics by being pre-
dominantly agricultural, and yet being on the whole a food
deficit area. Faced with this gross problem the impulse
ls to encourage rice-producing areas like Thalland to pro-
duce as great an exportable surplus as possible. If the
Office of Intelligence Research estimates are correct, there
is little likelihood that any forese eable amount of encourage=
ment to rice production will result in more rice than the
Far East a good price until 1960. However, by 1970
it is estimated the population and food production may once
more be unbalanced as they are today. It is also estimated
that the Chinese Communists will still be in control in
China in 1970. It is here again that bold new plans seem
as urgent to the US interests as they are urgent to Asian
leadership,
Here, perhaps, modest industrialization and economic
diversification might concern us with equal seriousness and
simultaneously with the food-population equation. Certainly
in an area as large and diversified as Southeast Asia any
simple unilateral appros ch would not be adequate.
It
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"ocrText": "78\nChina gains 8 position on the international forum ite\nstrident echoes of the USSR on the subject of Anglo-American\nimperialism will have the weight of an Asian voice which\nhas been 'successfuld in its revolution. I think that we\nshould not underestimate the fact that the Communist success\nin China 18 seen as a successful revolution in many parts\nof Asia. It seems to me that in a case of that sort on the\ninternational forum our best defense will be the kind of\ndiplomatic astuteness which Mr. Hendersor has had in India\nand above al our actual record, about which, it seems to\nme, we insist on being far too modest.\nIn my opinion this question of the overseas Chinese\nand the opportunity they offer Communist China for clan-\na SERVICE^\ndestine and diplomatic infiltrations in Southeast Asia is\none of the greatest hazards to US interests in the area.\nUnfortuna tely, in terms of other considerations recogn1-\ntion may have to be granted to the People's Republic and\nthe attendant liabilities reckoned with.\nIn addition to the difficulties posed by the overseas\nChinese and the recognition of Communist China, which are\nimmediate, there are long-range difficulties. The popula-\ntion problem, particularly in relation to the food supply,\nis perhaps one of the major ones. The Far East as a whole\noccupies a unique position in world economics by being pre-\ndominantly agricultural, and yet being on the whole a food\ndeficit area. Faced with this gross problem the impulse\nls to encourage rice-producing areas like Thalland to pro-\nduce as great an exportable surplus as possible. If the\nOffice of Intelligence Research estimates are correct, there\nis little likelihood that any forese eable amount of encourage=\nment to rice production will result in more rice than the\nFar East a good price until 1960. However, by 1970\nit is estimated the population and food production may once\nmore be unbalanced as they are today. It is also estimated\nthat the Chinese Communists will still be in control in\nChina in 1970. It is here again that bold new plans seem\nas urgent to the US interests as they are urgent to Asian\nleadership,\nHere, perhaps, modest industrialization and economic\ndiversification might concern us with equal seriousness and\nsimultaneously with the food-population equation. Certainly\nin an area as large and diversified as Southeast Asia any\nsimple unilateral appros ch would not be adequate.\nIt"
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