BY KAZUTO TSUKAMOTO
THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
In an apparent rivalry with Beijing for influence in the Mekong river region, Tokyo is increasing assistance to five Indochinese countries mainly to eradicate poverty.
In a key step, the first Japan-Mekong Foreign Ministers' Meeting will be held in Tokyo today with Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Myanmar (Burma) represented.
The forum will discuss cooperation in politics, economy and culture.
The foreign ministers from the five countries will separately meet with their Japanese counterpart, Masahiko Komura, and take part in investment promotion seminars.
Tokyo is putting a particular emphasis on the fight against poverty in the "Development Triangle" straddling Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, known as the CLV countries.
The mountainous area, which covers the poorest corners in each nation, is home to varied minority tribes who live mainly on slash-and-burn farming. Their average monthly income is a mere $25 (2,725 yen).
Many families in the area cannot even afford to send their children to elementary schools.
The triangle was left behind in development due to poor transportation infrastructure, aggravated by land mines buried during the Vietnam War.
The CLV countries in 2003 decided to jointly develop the area, asking Japan for assistance.
Japan today will announce a package of $40 million (4.4 billion yen) in grants to the five countries, including $20 million (2.2 billion yen) for the triangle, according to officials.
More than 20 projects are planned for the triangle in the education, health and medical fields as well as small-scale programs to build roads and power generation facilities.
Primary school buildings will be built or repaired at 20 locations, and assistance will be extended to construct high schools for minority tribes.
Officials say the package is intended for long-term support, especially in basic education.
"It has a great political significance in that assistance is extended to an area that has long been neglected by everyone," said a senior official of the Foreign Ministry.
Funds for the triangle will come from the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund, which Japan set up in 2006 to help economic integration of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
The other $20 million in grants will be used to improve efficiency in commodity distribution via the East-West Corridor and the Second East-West Corridor.
The former crosses Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and Myanmar, while the latter connects Thailand and Cambodia.
Japan's aid "offensive" to the Mekong region was launched out of concern over the growing presence of China, which extends "visible" aid to Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam, in particular.
Beijing, for example, built a new office structure for Cambodia's council of ministers, as well as a cultural center and a national hero's statue for Laos.
In its Southeast Asian diplomacy, China is strengthening ties with the Mekong countries by helping to build infrastructure, with its eye apparently on rare metal resources.
Chinese companies from affluent coastal areas are making inroads, increasing border trade in daily goods and electrical appliances.
China's trade with ASEAN nations, accounting for 8.3 percent in 2004, is fast catching up with Japan's, at 13.8 percent. Chinese tourists to ASEAN nations also jumped near the number of Japanese.
China's moves have alarmed Tokyo, which has long maintained close ties with Southeast Asian nations and has also worked for peace in the region.
In 2004, Japan held a summit with the CLV nations, expressing strengthened support for the three countries amid overall cuts in the nation's official development assistance.
Even so, Japan was disappointed in 2005 by the failure of these Indochinese nations to join Japan and three other nations in proposing a "framework resolution" on reform of the U.N. Security Council.
Japan sought permanent membership on the Security Council with that resolution, but its attempt failed.
"Sandwiched between the rivalry between Japan and China, those nations were just watching both sides, leading the relationships to fall out of kilter," said a senior Foreign Ministry official.
The other reason Japan is seeking stronger ties with the CLV nations lies in its North Korean relations.
Because of nonaligned movements and socialist ties, the three nations have kept close relationships with the seclusionist North.
Tokyo apparently hopes deeper ties with them will lead to their support for Japan in resolving such thorny issues as North Korea's abduction of Japanese nationals.
In a key step, the first Japan-Mekong Foreign Ministers' Meeting will be held in Tokyo today with Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Myanmar (Burma) represented.
The forum will discuss cooperation in politics, economy and culture.
The foreign ministers from the five countries will separately meet with their Japanese counterpart, Masahiko Komura, and take part in investment promotion seminars.
Tokyo is putting a particular emphasis on the fight against poverty in the "Development Triangle" straddling Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, known as the CLV countries.
The mountainous area, which covers the poorest corners in each nation, is home to varied minority tribes who live mainly on slash-and-burn farming. Their average monthly income is a mere $25 (2,725 yen).
Many families in the area cannot even afford to send their children to elementary schools.
The triangle was left behind in development due to poor transportation infrastructure, aggravated by land mines buried during the Vietnam War.
The CLV countries in 2003 decided to jointly develop the area, asking Japan for assistance.
Japan today will announce a package of $40 million (4.4 billion yen) in grants to the five countries, including $20 million (2.2 billion yen) for the triangle, according to officials.
More than 20 projects are planned for the triangle in the education, health and medical fields as well as small-scale programs to build roads and power generation facilities.
Primary school buildings will be built or repaired at 20 locations, and assistance will be extended to construct high schools for minority tribes.
Officials say the package is intended for long-term support, especially in basic education.
"It has a great political significance in that assistance is extended to an area that has long been neglected by everyone," said a senior official of the Foreign Ministry.
Funds for the triangle will come from the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund, which Japan set up in 2006 to help economic integration of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
The other $20 million in grants will be used to improve efficiency in commodity distribution via the East-West Corridor and the Second East-West Corridor.
The former crosses Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and Myanmar, while the latter connects Thailand and Cambodia.
Japan's aid "offensive" to the Mekong region was launched out of concern over the growing presence of China, which extends "visible" aid to Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam, in particular.
Beijing, for example, built a new office structure for Cambodia's council of ministers, as well as a cultural center and a national hero's statue for Laos.
In its Southeast Asian diplomacy, China is strengthening ties with the Mekong countries by helping to build infrastructure, with its eye apparently on rare metal resources.
Chinese companies from affluent coastal areas are making inroads, increasing border trade in daily goods and electrical appliances.
China's trade with ASEAN nations, accounting for 8.3 percent in 2004, is fast catching up with Japan's, at 13.8 percent. Chinese tourists to ASEAN nations also jumped near the number of Japanese.
China's moves have alarmed Tokyo, which has long maintained close ties with Southeast Asian nations and has also worked for peace in the region.
In 2004, Japan held a summit with the CLV nations, expressing strengthened support for the three countries amid overall cuts in the nation's official development assistance.
Even so, Japan was disappointed in 2005 by the failure of these Indochinese nations to join Japan and three other nations in proposing a "framework resolution" on reform of the U.N. Security Council.
Japan sought permanent membership on the Security Council with that resolution, but its attempt failed.
"Sandwiched between the rivalry between Japan and China, those nations were just watching both sides, leading the relationships to fall out of kilter," said a senior Foreign Ministry official.
The other reason Japan is seeking stronger ties with the CLV nations lies in its North Korean relations.
Because of nonaligned movements and socialist ties, the three nations have kept close relationships with the seclusionist North.
Tokyo apparently hopes deeper ties with them will lead to their support for Japan in resolving such thorny issues as North Korea's abduction of Japanese nationals.
4 comments:
God, I dislike that term 'Indochina'. I think this word should not be used at all when referring to mainland southeat asia. This term should only be refer to when citing a history lesson only. It belongs in the history books, only. Cambodia, today, is not a state of the 'so-called French Indochina.' Sorry, history already!
I'd agree with you brother's."ANANIKUM AMERICA RULES!.
It should be "CAMBODIA TERRITORY""ANANIKUM AMERICA RULES!"
Why the Jap kept using the fucken words "INDOCHINA OR INDOCHINESE"
The Vietcong and the Japanese need to stop using these words because it has a racist connotation!
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