The Chinese Communists, on coming to power in 1949, were
in a mood of supreme self-confidence and assertiveness. In
1948, at an important regional conference in Calcutta of Communist
parties convened to disseminate the new line of armed
insurrect ion in Asia, the Chinese Communist representative
had staked a claim to .leadership over the national liberation
movement in Southeast Asia. Within weeks after the establishment
of the Chinese People's Republic, Liu Shao-chi elaborated