Asian Internationalism

**Asian Internationalism** is a economic and political ideology developed in many former British Asian colonies as well as former French colonies in French Indochina. Created in the turbulent peace time after the Indian Civil War, Asian Internationalism is a new belief, but one which has garnered attraction by millions of people.

Due to his high success in less than two years, the idea of autarky and self-reliance away from the main European markets have stayed influential in many movements in Africa opposed to colonialism, while there are rumors of other countries joining the trading bloc.

## History

South Asia saw heavy turmoil in the time of independence from the British Empire. While the war wasn’t as gruesome as some had anticipated, the effects of the war left post-colonial societies an utter mess. India, while being able to secure a white peace agreement with Khudastan, Khalistan and Bengal, their economy was shattered. Without British support, and still reeling from the Second American Civil War, poverty and famine gripped parts of urbanized India. Khudastan, Khalistan and Burma were similarly facing separatist activity, integrating their citizens from London and stabilizing each nations’ regimes were far from easy.

In Burma for example, the country was torn by the question of war with Siam to avenge their losses in the Cairo War. Rice exports fell and the value of cash crops dropped dramatically. Across the Indian sub-continent, all 4 nations temporarily benefited from freezing and nationalizing all British assets still in their countries, but it did little to curve their faltering economies. Each nation, including that of Vietnam and Laos were slowly sinking into economy catastrophe by July of 1934.

In an effort to avoid a full fledged economic collapse, Burmese and Bengali officials met in Sittwe to discuss the option of trade agreements and commercial traffic. All of these countries actively refused to trade with European powers, and after Burma and Bengal pursued enormous economic relations, talks began between all India, Khudastan, Bengal and Burma. In Rangoon, the Burmese president actively encouraged trade and economic growth in South Asia, coining the term Asian Internationalism for the first time. In his first public speech, he talked excessively about the need to avoid European markets and the need for "inter-reliance on the Asian continent". It was broadcasted by dozens of politicians in Khudastan, Khalistan, India and even into Laos and Vietnam, garnering widespread popular support. Throughout August-December, the 4 countries, also including Khalistan, momentarily put aside their differences to avoid economic collapse and famine. In spite of this, countries like India, Khalistan, Bengal and Khudastan only retain superficial trade relations with one and another due to tensions between Indian nationalism and Indian Muslim separatism.

In January of 1935, despite protests by the more conservative elements of the Burmese government not wanting to do business with two socialist countries, Rangoon invited Vietnamese and Laotian delegates to the city for economic and political discussions. Without much support from further Asian powers, both countries eventually agreed to the proposal, and the Rangoon Agreements were signed, guaranteeing free commercial and economic trade between the Asian International Bloc and the Indochinese republics, now adding them as part of the bloc.

With the expansion of Asian Internationalism to the whole Indian sub-continent and part of Indochina, all 7 countries saw a drastic increase in their living standards. Rice exports became sorely needed in India, Vietnam and Laos, while commercial trade and profit in the South China and the Indian Ocean spurred economic growth. Over time, Asian Internationalism developed, not just as a de-facto economic bloc between South Asian nations but as a political ideology as well.

## Ideological beliefs

The core tenants of Asian Internationalism involves partial self reliance. It is anti-colonial in nature, and views trading with Europe with intense hostility. Instead, Asian Internationalism actively encourages post-colonial societies to trade with each other, and most often AI societies focus on regional politics, preferring not to be involved in global affairs. On many levels, proponents of Asian Internationalism deem the ideology to be apolitical mostly due to the open trade between socialist Indochina and the conservative dominated South Asia. Burmese president Ba Ma in his 1934 speech had stated that Asian Internationalism's goal was to "aid the continent in its economic independence and freedom".

### Anti-Siamese sentiment

A developing part of Asian Internationalism paradoxically involves anti-Siamese sentiment, mostly stemming from past wars with Burma, and ideological differences with Vietnam and Laos. Despite peace with the Singapore Accords in the wake of the French Revolution, a cold war of sorts has taken place in Southeast Asia, with Vietnam and Laos hoping to usurp the growing power of Siam, while Siam for their part hope to exert their influence within the two republics.

That, plus a highly tense political situation between Burma and Siam essentially meant that, from the start, Asian Internationalists shut out Siam from ever being able to participate in the trading bloc, forming a "trade ring" around them and their subjects.

### Anti-Japanese sentiment

With the expansion of the Japanese Empire across the Asian world, many, especially in South Asia, are worried about Tokyo's influence. Countries on the Indian subcontinent are weary with doing business with the Japanese due to the historic colonial practice of economic dependence that the Metropole might impose, while due to recent escalations in the South China Sea by the Japanese against the Indochinese republics, all Asian Internationalist countries have strongly opposed any sort of Japanese influence in their economy.