2020 IB Extended Essays

9

were posed from this party. The foreign influence had quite a large impact on the rise to

power of the Khmer Rouge.

Chinese Financial Aid China prior to the rise of the Khmer Rouge provided financial aid to the Khmer Rouge for

varying reasons. In 1969, China found itself in a border clash with the USSR. Both sides had

differing ideas of dealing with the anti-communist west 18 . This caused unforeseen tensions

between the powers and these tensions came to a head in 1969 with a conflict along the

border 19 . China held the fear that if North Vietnam were to come out on top in the Vietnam

war, that due to their close relationship with the Soviets they would side with them and

share their anti-Chinese ideals. Therefore, China chose to ‘aid’ the Khmer Rouge in

Cambodia. They provided financial aid, however how that money was spent by the Khmer

Rouge is still unknown 20 . US intelligence estimated that China supplied the Khmer Rouge

with approximately $100 million of military aid per year 21 .

There seems to be some dispute among historians as to the exact reasoning for China’s aid

and what the money was used for. Historian Zhai Qing attributes China’s financial aid as a

geopolitical move to ensure allies in the south 22 . However, this is contested by John Lewis

18 Sino-Soviet Border disputes 1996, American Experience, viewed 11 April 2020, < https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/china-border-disputes/ > 19 Burr, W 2001, The Sino-Soviet Border Conflict, 1969: U.S. Reactions and Diplomatic Maneuvers, National Security Archive, Washignton D.C. 20 Ross, R 1991, China and the Cambodian Peace Process: the Value of Coercive Diplomacy- Asian Survey, 31 edn, vol. 12, University of California Press, California. 21 Widyono, B 2007, The Spectre of the Khmer Rouge over Cambodia, UN Chronicle, viewed 10 May 2020, < https://www.un.org/en/chronicle/article/spectre-khmer-rouge-over-cambodia > 22 Wang, C 2018, The Chinese Communist Party’s Relationship with the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s: an Ideological Victory and a Strategic Failure, Wilson Center, viewed 11 April 2020, < https://www.wilsoncenter.org/publication/the-chinese- communist-partys-relationship-the-khmer-rouge-the-1970s-ideological-victory >