By Bruce Gale
The Straits Times/Asia News Network
VIENTIANE -- Tiny, landlocked Laos looks like it could be among the most important beneficiaries of Washington's renewed interest in South-East Asia.
Earlier this month, Lao Foreign Minister Thongloun Sisoulith traveled to Washington to meet United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. His visit marked the highest-level contact between the two governments since the end of the Vietnam War in the mid-1970s.
The meeting followed a significant warming of diplomatic ties under the Obama administration that gained traction in June last year, when Laos and Cambodia were removed from a blacklist that limited Washington's financial support for U.S. companies doing business with these nations. In this latest development, Mr Thongloun and Mrs Clinton signed an 'open skies' agreement which officials said would boost the isolated Indo-Chinese state's tourism industry.
U.S. interest in Laos is not new. But it does appear to be growing. Washington's primary motive appears to be the need to check the growing influence of Beijing.
China has a strong economic and diplomatic presence in Laos, as well as much of the rest of Indochina. Chinese Vice-President Xi Jinping was in Vientiane as recently as last month, pledging millions of dollars of investment in infrastructure. But he was not the first senior Chinese leader to arrive. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visited Laos in March 2008 to attend the third summit of the Beijing-sponsored Greater Mekong Subregion. Established in 1992, this organization promotes economic and social development, irrigation and cooperation among the six Mekong countries.
For some years now, Beijing has provided Laos with grants, low interest loans and other technical assistance. Imported Chinese-made goods are also widely available on local markets.
Washington established trade ties with Laos in 2004 and for some years now has been helping to clear unexploded ordnance. But relations have remained tense, with U.S. officials expressing concern about Vientiane's treatment of its ethnic Hmong minority. Many Hmong fighters assisted U.S. forces during the Vietnam War.
More recently, however, the U.S. has signaled that it is willing to set aside such concerns. In March, Deputy U.S. Secretary of State for East Asia Kurt Campbell visited Laos, promising 'a high-profile relationship' with the country. Washington's move comes not long after it initiated a dialogue with Myanmar, another country courted by China whose military government has angered human rights campaigners. Stepped-up U.S. aid programs in Laos now include finding alternative employment for opium poppy growers, as well as improving health care and environmental protection, particularly relating to the Mekong River.
The Americans have arrived at an opportune time. Many Laotians are concerned about the hundreds of thousands of Chinese workers who have entered the country in recent years to work on various Beijing-sponsored projects. The north of the country in particular, say critics, is beginning to take on the character of a Chinese province. Large construction projects involving Chinese contractors in Vientiane have also prompted talk of "Chinese City" in the capital.
With the support of Vietnam, a traditional ally that also fears growing Chinese influence, the Lao leadership seems eager to reap the benefits of the competition between Beijing and Washington. At an international conference held in Tokyo in May, Lao Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh announced new plans to overhaul foreign investment policies and reach annual growth rates of over 8 percent for the next five years. The Prime Minister repeated his commitment to a fast growth strategy the following month at the World Economic Forum on East Asia in Vietnam.
For both the U.S. and Laos to achieve their goals, however, the U.S. needs to be consistent. Washington's new-found friends in Vientiane may not be quite so eager to support U.S. initiatives if they suspect they may one day be abandoned to the mercies of a growing pro-Chinese faction. Many in South-east Asia still remember the apparent downgrading of the region in 2007 when then President George W. Bush skipped the Asean Regional Forum, postponed a U.S.-Asean Summit and left the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) conference a day early.
Human rights issues could still complicate matters. About 250,000 Hmong have resettled in the U.S. since the war and often speak of persecution in Laos, enlisting support of U.S. lawmakers to pressure the Vientiane government. The strength of the anti-communist sentiment within the community can be seen in the fact that 12 Californians, including 11 ethnic Hmong, have recently been charged in U.S. courts with plotting to overthrow the Lao government.
While wooing countries such as Laos and Cambodia, the U.S. may also have to temper its activities to avoid upsetting Thailand, a traditional U.S. ally that considers Indochina its backyard.
For the time being, however, the competition between Washington and Beijing is heating up. And Laos seems set to reap the benefit.
Earlier this month, Lao Foreign Minister Thongloun Sisoulith traveled to Washington to meet United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. His visit marked the highest-level contact between the two governments since the end of the Vietnam War in the mid-1970s.
The meeting followed a significant warming of diplomatic ties under the Obama administration that gained traction in June last year, when Laos and Cambodia were removed from a blacklist that limited Washington's financial support for U.S. companies doing business with these nations. In this latest development, Mr Thongloun and Mrs Clinton signed an 'open skies' agreement which officials said would boost the isolated Indo-Chinese state's tourism industry.
U.S. interest in Laos is not new. But it does appear to be growing. Washington's primary motive appears to be the need to check the growing influence of Beijing.
China has a strong economic and diplomatic presence in Laos, as well as much of the rest of Indochina. Chinese Vice-President Xi Jinping was in Vientiane as recently as last month, pledging millions of dollars of investment in infrastructure. But he was not the first senior Chinese leader to arrive. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visited Laos in March 2008 to attend the third summit of the Beijing-sponsored Greater Mekong Subregion. Established in 1992, this organization promotes economic and social development, irrigation and cooperation among the six Mekong countries.
For some years now, Beijing has provided Laos with grants, low interest loans and other technical assistance. Imported Chinese-made goods are also widely available on local markets.
Washington established trade ties with Laos in 2004 and for some years now has been helping to clear unexploded ordnance. But relations have remained tense, with U.S. officials expressing concern about Vientiane's treatment of its ethnic Hmong minority. Many Hmong fighters assisted U.S. forces during the Vietnam War.
More recently, however, the U.S. has signaled that it is willing to set aside such concerns. In March, Deputy U.S. Secretary of State for East Asia Kurt Campbell visited Laos, promising 'a high-profile relationship' with the country. Washington's move comes not long after it initiated a dialogue with Myanmar, another country courted by China whose military government has angered human rights campaigners. Stepped-up U.S. aid programs in Laos now include finding alternative employment for opium poppy growers, as well as improving health care and environmental protection, particularly relating to the Mekong River.
The Americans have arrived at an opportune time. Many Laotians are concerned about the hundreds of thousands of Chinese workers who have entered the country in recent years to work on various Beijing-sponsored projects. The north of the country in particular, say critics, is beginning to take on the character of a Chinese province. Large construction projects involving Chinese contractors in Vientiane have also prompted talk of "Chinese City" in the capital.
With the support of Vietnam, a traditional ally that also fears growing Chinese influence, the Lao leadership seems eager to reap the benefits of the competition between Beijing and Washington. At an international conference held in Tokyo in May, Lao Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh announced new plans to overhaul foreign investment policies and reach annual growth rates of over 8 percent for the next five years. The Prime Minister repeated his commitment to a fast growth strategy the following month at the World Economic Forum on East Asia in Vietnam.
For both the U.S. and Laos to achieve their goals, however, the U.S. needs to be consistent. Washington's new-found friends in Vientiane may not be quite so eager to support U.S. initiatives if they suspect they may one day be abandoned to the mercies of a growing pro-Chinese faction. Many in South-east Asia still remember the apparent downgrading of the region in 2007 when then President George W. Bush skipped the Asean Regional Forum, postponed a U.S.-Asean Summit and left the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) conference a day early.
Human rights issues could still complicate matters. About 250,000 Hmong have resettled in the U.S. since the war and often speak of persecution in Laos, enlisting support of U.S. lawmakers to pressure the Vientiane government. The strength of the anti-communist sentiment within the community can be seen in the fact that 12 Californians, including 11 ethnic Hmong, have recently been charged in U.S. courts with plotting to overthrow the Lao government.
While wooing countries such as Laos and Cambodia, the U.S. may also have to temper its activities to avoid upsetting Thailand, a traditional U.S. ally that considers Indochina its backyard.
For the time being, however, the competition between Washington and Beijing is heating up. And Laos seems set to reap the benefit.
1 comment:
During the vietnam war , hmongs and khmers (from the south) have given their life for the american side, they are now subjected to persecution in Laos and Vietnam , but the US is forgotten all those sacrifice for the sake of new interest to contain China
In the China south sea dispute , the US demand the international intervention should be allow to find the solution for all parties but in the dispute at the (Preah Vihear) border between Thailand and Cambodia, the US want to let the mighty Thailand manage the dispute alone with the poor Cambodia that the US does net even want to supply the trucks to transport the needs for the soldiers station at Preah Vihear. What should Cambodia do to gain american attention ?
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