ABSTRACT
The end of the Indochina War removed the most important phenomenon that had dominated South-East Asia for three decades, overshadowing others including the budding Sino-Soviet rivalry. South-East Asia is free of wars and decolonisation has been almost completed with Portugal's departure from East Timor. Domestic insurgencies, however, continue to rage. The military coup in Thailand has disturbed the regional peace threatening an armed confrontation with Indochina. China has re-emerged in South-East Asia. With the Sino-American reconciliation the United States has encouraged its allies and friends to let China play a "constructive role." China brands the Soviet leaders as "the new Tsars"; and the Soviet government as "an out and out social imperialism" engaged in global aggression, control, subversion and colonial expansion." During the brief civilian period Sino-Thai relations were consolidated. In July 1975, Premier Kukrit Pramoj visited China and joined his hosts in opposing hegemony.
