US renews hand to Myanmar
Wed Dec 30, 4:00 pm ET
WASHINGTON (AFP) – The United States on Wednesday renewed its offer of better ties with Myanmar if it makes progress on democracy as the military-ruled nation prepares to mark independence from Britain next week.
In a statement ahead of the 62nd anniversary on Monday, the US State Department offered its "warmest wishes" to the people of Myanmar and its "unwavering support" for the nation's independence.
"The United States stands ready to take steps to improve bilateral relations based on reciprocal and meaningful efforts by the Burmese government to fulfill the Burmese peoples' democratic aspirations," it said, using Myanmar's former name of Burma.
"We support the peaceful efforts of people everywhere to exercise freely their universal human rights, and we look forward to the day when Burma's citizens will be able to do so. We hope that day will come soon," it said.
Myanmar has detained democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi for most of the past two decades and has long been a US pariah. The junta routinely uses Independence Day to denounce "neo-colonialists" interfering in its affairs.
But the United States has opened high-level dialogue with the junta, part of President Barack Obama's policy of reaching out to US adversaries.
The junta plans to hold elections next year which the opposition fears will be a sham. Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy swept the last elections in 1990 but was never allowed to take power.
Wed Dec 30, 4:00 pm ET
WASHINGTON (AFP) – The United States on Wednesday renewed its offer of better ties with Myanmar if it makes progress on democracy as the military-ruled nation prepares to mark independence from Britain next week.
In a statement ahead of the 62nd anniversary on Monday, the US State Department offered its "warmest wishes" to the people of Myanmar and its "unwavering support" for the nation's independence.
"The United States stands ready to take steps to improve bilateral relations based on reciprocal and meaningful efforts by the Burmese government to fulfill the Burmese peoples' democratic aspirations," it said, using Myanmar's former name of Burma.
"We support the peaceful efforts of people everywhere to exercise freely their universal human rights, and we look forward to the day when Burma's citizens will be able to do so. We hope that day will come soon," it said.
Myanmar has detained democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi for most of the past two decades and has long been a US pariah. The junta routinely uses Independence Day to denounce "neo-colonialists" interfering in its affairs.
But the United States has opened high-level dialogue with the junta, part of President Barack Obama's policy of reaching out to US adversaries.
The junta plans to hold elections next year which the opposition fears will be a sham. Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy swept the last elections in 1990 but was never allowed to take power.
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Myanmar to double cost of local telephone calls
AFP - Thursday, December 31
YANGON — Military-ruled Myanmar is to more than double the cost of local telephone calls in 2010, official sources said Thursday.
The price hike by the communications, posts and telegraphs ministry will take effect from January 1, the sources said.
"The price will be increased to 50 kyats (five cents) per minute for all local calls," a telecommunications department official told AFP.
Current charges for local calls are 15 kyats per minute from landlines and 25 kyats per minute from mobile telephones.
Charges for overseas calls will not change, the officials said.
The increased charges have not yet been announced by Myanmar's official media.
"If it's true, I will try not to use my mobile very often," said Soe Soe, a 25-year-old housewife.
Myanmar authorities have said they are trying to improve telecommunications across the impoverished country by extending network areas.
The government allowed mobile phones to function in the remote jungle capital Naypyidaw for the first time in early October, after previously banning them for security reasons.
Myanmar has been ruled by the military since 1962.
AFP - Thursday, December 31
YANGON — Military-ruled Myanmar is to more than double the cost of local telephone calls in 2010, official sources said Thursday.
The price hike by the communications, posts and telegraphs ministry will take effect from January 1, the sources said.
"The price will be increased to 50 kyats (five cents) per minute for all local calls," a telecommunications department official told AFP.
Current charges for local calls are 15 kyats per minute from landlines and 25 kyats per minute from mobile telephones.
Charges for overseas calls will not change, the officials said.
The increased charges have not yet been announced by Myanmar's official media.
"If it's true, I will try not to use my mobile very often," said Soe Soe, a 25-year-old housewife.
Myanmar authorities have said they are trying to improve telecommunications across the impoverished country by extending network areas.
The government allowed mobile phones to function in the remote jungle capital Naypyidaw for the first time in early October, after previously banning them for security reasons.
Myanmar has been ruled by the military since 1962.
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Friday, January 1, 2010
The Daily Star - Editorial: Rohingya repatriation impasse
A sign of melting that needs to be vigorously pursued for results
THIS is a positive development on the long pending Rohingya repatriation issue emerging from the fourth foreign secretary-level talks between Bangladesh and Myanmar in Dhaka. We welcome this. With Myanmar deputy foreign minister Maung Myint indicating his country's willingness to take back 9,000 of the 28,000 registered Myanmar refugees encamped in Cox's Bazar, at least some forward movement on the repatriation issue is in sight.
To successive Bangladesh governments' chagrin, the question remained consigned on to the Myanmar military rulers' back burner for the last nearly two decades, thanks to their insensitivity and intransigence.
That way it is a breakthrough, a diplomatic success, but certainly one that must be acclaimed with cautious optimism. For, a similar green light was given by the Myanmar side for the same number of refugees to be taken back in 2005, but that ended up being a disappointment: only 90 went back to Myanmar.
Moreover, return of refugees repatriated earlier on is an added dimension to the problem, basically underlining the incongeniality of atmosphere at that end. In a large part though, this was also due to the relative ease with which they could put up in Bangladesh amidst shared humanitarian concern of Bangladesh government and the UNHCR. It is alleged that several of them may have melted away in adjoining places in Bangladesh.
The upshot of all these has been the straining of local resources and employment opportunities which a resource-strapped country like Bangladesh with a huge unemployment problem can ill-afford. Besides, the presence of undocumented refugees tends to breed social tension, let alone risking anti-social and criminal activities of variegated nature.
We believe that in the news of the Myanmar government sounding somewhat positive on the issue lies a wider prospect of taking the repatriation process forward through concerted efforts of government of Bangladesh, that of Myanmar and the UNHCR which must be fully realised now. It will bring Myanmar closer to Bangladesh, would be good for productive bilateral relations between the two countries while the humanitarian concerns are met.
The Daily Star - Editorial: Rohingya repatriation impasse
A sign of melting that needs to be vigorously pursued for results
THIS is a positive development on the long pending Rohingya repatriation issue emerging from the fourth foreign secretary-level talks between Bangladesh and Myanmar in Dhaka. We welcome this. With Myanmar deputy foreign minister Maung Myint indicating his country's willingness to take back 9,000 of the 28,000 registered Myanmar refugees encamped in Cox's Bazar, at least some forward movement on the repatriation issue is in sight.
To successive Bangladesh governments' chagrin, the question remained consigned on to the Myanmar military rulers' back burner for the last nearly two decades, thanks to their insensitivity and intransigence.
That way it is a breakthrough, a diplomatic success, but certainly one that must be acclaimed with cautious optimism. For, a similar green light was given by the Myanmar side for the same number of refugees to be taken back in 2005, but that ended up being a disappointment: only 90 went back to Myanmar.
Moreover, return of refugees repatriated earlier on is an added dimension to the problem, basically underlining the incongeniality of atmosphere at that end. In a large part though, this was also due to the relative ease with which they could put up in Bangladesh amidst shared humanitarian concern of Bangladesh government and the UNHCR. It is alleged that several of them may have melted away in adjoining places in Bangladesh.
The upshot of all these has been the straining of local resources and employment opportunities which a resource-strapped country like Bangladesh with a huge unemployment problem can ill-afford. Besides, the presence of undocumented refugees tends to breed social tension, let alone risking anti-social and criminal activities of variegated nature.
We believe that in the news of the Myanmar government sounding somewhat positive on the issue lies a wider prospect of taking the repatriation process forward through concerted efforts of government of Bangladesh, that of Myanmar and the UNHCR which must be fully realised now. It will bring Myanmar closer to Bangladesh, would be good for productive bilateral relations between the two countries while the humanitarian concerns are met.
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Sify News - Bangladesh reaches out to neighbours
2009-12-31 12:30:00
Ahead of summit level talks with India next month, Bangladesh has sought to reach out to its neighbours by stressing on the importance of a timetable to resolve its maritime issues with India and Myanmar and on its relations with China.
Dhaka also indicated a visit by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to Beijing next year, New Age newspaper reported Thursday.
Hasina told a Chinese minister, who said Beijing was 'eagerly awaiting' her trip by the middle of 2010, that she would be visiting 'at a convenient date'.
Dhaka also wants to fast-forward a three-nation road that would connect Dhaka to Kunmin in China via Myanmar to further trilateral trade and communication, New Age newspaper said.
Receiving Myanmarese deputy minister for foreign affairs Maung Myint, Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dipu Moni added: 'It is important for Bangladesh to have access to the natural resource in the Bay of Bengal for which delimitation of maritime boundary between the neighbouring countries is essential.'
Dhaka and New Delhi have submitted their respective cases before a UN body to determine the maritime boundaries and end occasional stand-offs on the high seas where the three littoral nations explore for hydrocarbons.
Moni asked Myanmar to take back at the earliest all its nationals - the Rohingya refugees - who entered Bangladesh illegally.
The Daily Star said Yangon had agreed to take back 9,000 such people who are supposed to have fled to the Arakan hills after being driven out by the Myanmarese military.
Hasina and Moni separately received Chinese assistant minister for foreign affairs Hu Zhengyue.
Hasina said Bangladesh attached importance to its relations with China and emphasised increasing people-to-people and party-to-party contacts between the two countries, apart from bilateral ties at government level.
Hu Zhengyue was visiting Dhaka as China has taken a diplomatic move to make other countries, including Bangladesh, understand its stance at the recent Copenhagen climate summit.
He said strengthening relations and maintaining regular cooperation among the defence forces in addition to holding regular exercises would be helpful to increase skills of the security forces of the two countries.
2009-12-31 12:30:00
Ahead of summit level talks with India next month, Bangladesh has sought to reach out to its neighbours by stressing on the importance of a timetable to resolve its maritime issues with India and Myanmar and on its relations with China.
Dhaka also indicated a visit by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to Beijing next year, New Age newspaper reported Thursday.
Hasina told a Chinese minister, who said Beijing was 'eagerly awaiting' her trip by the middle of 2010, that she would be visiting 'at a convenient date'.
Dhaka also wants to fast-forward a three-nation road that would connect Dhaka to Kunmin in China via Myanmar to further trilateral trade and communication, New Age newspaper said.
Receiving Myanmarese deputy minister for foreign affairs Maung Myint, Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dipu Moni added: 'It is important for Bangladesh to have access to the natural resource in the Bay of Bengal for which delimitation of maritime boundary between the neighbouring countries is essential.'
Dhaka and New Delhi have submitted their respective cases before a UN body to determine the maritime boundaries and end occasional stand-offs on the high seas where the three littoral nations explore for hydrocarbons.
Moni asked Myanmar to take back at the earliest all its nationals - the Rohingya refugees - who entered Bangladesh illegally.
The Daily Star said Yangon had agreed to take back 9,000 such people who are supposed to have fled to the Arakan hills after being driven out by the Myanmarese military.
Hasina and Moni separately received Chinese assistant minister for foreign affairs Hu Zhengyue.
Hasina said Bangladesh attached importance to its relations with China and emphasised increasing people-to-people and party-to-party contacts between the two countries, apart from bilateral ties at government level.
Hu Zhengyue was visiting Dhaka as China has taken a diplomatic move to make other countries, including Bangladesh, understand its stance at the recent Copenhagen climate summit.
He said strengthening relations and maintaining regular cooperation among the defence forces in addition to holding regular exercises would be helpful to increase skills of the security forces of the two countries.
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December 31, 2009 11:30 AM
Myanmar Businessmen Speak Highly Of China-ASEAN FTA Establishment
YANGON, Dec 31 (Bernama) -- Myanmar business circle has spoken highly of the establishment of China-ASEAN free trade area (FTA) as scheduled, saying that the establishment helps push the development of economic and trade cooperative ties between Myanmar and China, China's Xinhua news agency reported Thursday.
Members from the business circle made the comments in an interview with Xinhua ahead of the launching of the FTA on Jan 1, 2010.
Starting 2010, both the building of ASEAN Community and China- ASEAN FTA will enter into a new stage. Therefore, Myanmar, like other new members of the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), will face a new and greater challenge and new development opportunity, experts said.
U Khin Maung Lwin, a Myanmar expert studying FTA, said despite the establishment of the China-ASEAN FTA in 2010, Myanmar enjoys a five-year grace period like other ASEAN new members and is allowed to meet the FTA demand until 2015, leaving a period of time and space for the country to deal with.
Experts here said under the framework of the FTA, Myanmar possesses an advantage of having rich natural resources such as land, water and mineral resources, while its disadvantage is the lack of capital and technical know-how and then a long period of exporting primary products with less process and low added-value. The country has now attached importance to such processed and value-added export, while welcoming foreign investment in the aspect.
Chairman of Myanmar Chinese Chamber of Commerce Lai Songshen pointed out that the establishment of China-ASEAN FTA has positive significance over Myanmar's economic and trade development, saying that Myanmar's integration into the regional development process could enable faster and better development of its economy and trade.
"It naturally helps develop Myanmar and it also provides more development opportunities for local businessmen," he believed.
MIDEA-brand products distributor Liang Xiao Chun, who has been doing trading business in Myanmar for over four years, said their products -- MIDEA are widely welcome in the country. Previously, Myanmar consumers misunderstood that the quality of Chinese products are not as good as that of other countries.
Over the past few years, consumers have come to know that there are good products of China with reasonable prices, he said, believing that following the establishment of China-ASEAN FTA, China will introduce more and better products into Myanmar market and Myanmar people could get cheaper and better products of Chinese brand. On the other hand, more Myanmar products will go into China's market.
Liang went on to say that "as far as our businessmen are concerned, the setting up of China-ASEAN FTA is a biggest blessing news for us. We have been long waiting for the day to come. If successful in the establishment, the tariff of our products will be sharply reduced even down to zero. By then, our products and the flow of our commodities will be expedited. We hope that the tariff will be reduced or exempted or zero. Besides we also hope the custom clearance process will be prompted."
Liang also briefed that many popular-brand Chinese products have entered into Myanmar market, for instances, electronic-goods- related MIDEA, TCL and Changhong, and communication-related Huawei, ZTE, Hisense.
Another local Chinese businessmen Gao Jinchuan said "My family has long been engaged in China-Myanmar border trade. If the China- ASEAN FTA is launched, it would play a greater part in the Sino- Myanmar border trade. The lowering of tariff would undoubtedly pushes the trade development. As China and Myanmar are linked by mountains and rivers, Myanmar could play its part as bridge link and speaking from this point of significance, we see prospects of Sino-Myanmar economic and trade ties."
Other experts also viewed that the successful holding of the 9th China-Myanmar border trade fair in China's Jiegao, Ruili from Dec 2 to 6, 2009, clarified again that traders increasingly attach importance to the platform of the border trade fair.
The border trade fair was participated by entrepreneurs and investors from Myanmar, Thailand, Japan, Vietnam, India, Bangladesh and more than 10 provinces, municipalities and cities of China such as Guangdong, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Fujian, Shenzheng, Shandong and Chongqing, as well as Hong Kong Special Administrative Regions.
Vice governor of Yunnan Province Gu Caoxi said at the opening ceremony of the border trade fair that the event won attention of entrepreneurs and commerce circle at home and abroad and their active participation, underlining that it contributes to emergence of the economic and social benefit.
Gu also said when meeting with Myanmar Deputy Commerce Minister Brigadier-General Aung Tun that the overall establishment of 2010 China-ASEAN FTA would provide new opportunities to the economic and trade cooperation between Yunnan and Myanmar as well as between China and Myanmar, holding that the two sides should take advantage of the FTA to expand the economic and trade cooperation between China and Myanmar.
Myanmar Businessmen Speak Highly Of China-ASEAN FTA Establishment
YANGON, Dec 31 (Bernama) -- Myanmar business circle has spoken highly of the establishment of China-ASEAN free trade area (FTA) as scheduled, saying that the establishment helps push the development of economic and trade cooperative ties between Myanmar and China, China's Xinhua news agency reported Thursday.
Members from the business circle made the comments in an interview with Xinhua ahead of the launching of the FTA on Jan 1, 2010.
Starting 2010, both the building of ASEAN Community and China- ASEAN FTA will enter into a new stage. Therefore, Myanmar, like other new members of the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), will face a new and greater challenge and new development opportunity, experts said.
U Khin Maung Lwin, a Myanmar expert studying FTA, said despite the establishment of the China-ASEAN FTA in 2010, Myanmar enjoys a five-year grace period like other ASEAN new members and is allowed to meet the FTA demand until 2015, leaving a period of time and space for the country to deal with.
Experts here said under the framework of the FTA, Myanmar possesses an advantage of having rich natural resources such as land, water and mineral resources, while its disadvantage is the lack of capital and technical know-how and then a long period of exporting primary products with less process and low added-value. The country has now attached importance to such processed and value-added export, while welcoming foreign investment in the aspect.
Chairman of Myanmar Chinese Chamber of Commerce Lai Songshen pointed out that the establishment of China-ASEAN FTA has positive significance over Myanmar's economic and trade development, saying that Myanmar's integration into the regional development process could enable faster and better development of its economy and trade.
"It naturally helps develop Myanmar and it also provides more development opportunities for local businessmen," he believed.
MIDEA-brand products distributor Liang Xiao Chun, who has been doing trading business in Myanmar for over four years, said their products -- MIDEA are widely welcome in the country. Previously, Myanmar consumers misunderstood that the quality of Chinese products are not as good as that of other countries.
Over the past few years, consumers have come to know that there are good products of China with reasonable prices, he said, believing that following the establishment of China-ASEAN FTA, China will introduce more and better products into Myanmar market and Myanmar people could get cheaper and better products of Chinese brand. On the other hand, more Myanmar products will go into China's market.
Liang went on to say that "as far as our businessmen are concerned, the setting up of China-ASEAN FTA is a biggest blessing news for us. We have been long waiting for the day to come. If successful in the establishment, the tariff of our products will be sharply reduced even down to zero. By then, our products and the flow of our commodities will be expedited. We hope that the tariff will be reduced or exempted or zero. Besides we also hope the custom clearance process will be prompted."
Liang also briefed that many popular-brand Chinese products have entered into Myanmar market, for instances, electronic-goods- related MIDEA, TCL and Changhong, and communication-related Huawei, ZTE, Hisense.
Another local Chinese businessmen Gao Jinchuan said "My family has long been engaged in China-Myanmar border trade. If the China- ASEAN FTA is launched, it would play a greater part in the Sino- Myanmar border trade. The lowering of tariff would undoubtedly pushes the trade development. As China and Myanmar are linked by mountains and rivers, Myanmar could play its part as bridge link and speaking from this point of significance, we see prospects of Sino-Myanmar economic and trade ties."
Other experts also viewed that the successful holding of the 9th China-Myanmar border trade fair in China's Jiegao, Ruili from Dec 2 to 6, 2009, clarified again that traders increasingly attach importance to the platform of the border trade fair.
The border trade fair was participated by entrepreneurs and investors from Myanmar, Thailand, Japan, Vietnam, India, Bangladesh and more than 10 provinces, municipalities and cities of China such as Guangdong, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Fujian, Shenzheng, Shandong and Chongqing, as well as Hong Kong Special Administrative Regions.
Vice governor of Yunnan Province Gu Caoxi said at the opening ceremony of the border trade fair that the event won attention of entrepreneurs and commerce circle at home and abroad and their active participation, underlining that it contributes to emergence of the economic and social benefit.
Gu also said when meeting with Myanmar Deputy Commerce Minister Brigadier-General Aung Tun that the overall establishment of 2010 China-ASEAN FTA would provide new opportunities to the economic and trade cooperation between Yunnan and Myanmar as well as between China and Myanmar, holding that the two sides should take advantage of the FTA to expand the economic and trade cooperation between China and Myanmar.
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DONG-A ILBO - China to Expand Influence in SE Asia via FTA
DECEMBER 31, 2009 09:08
A free trade agreement between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations or ASEAN to take effect tomorrow is expected to expand Chinese influence in Southeast Asia.
Beijing will hold a massive event to celebrate the accord Jan. 7 in Nanning, the capital of China’s Guangxi province. Scheduled to attend are government delegations from China and 10 ASEAN member countries as well as CEOs from the world’s top 500 companies.
The agreement will boost economic cooperation between the two regions and lay the groundwork for China to expand its influence in Southeast Asia.
Of the 10 ASEAN member countries, the agreement will take effect first in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, the Philippines and Singapore. Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam will implement the deal from 2015.
The agreement will eliminate tariffs on 7,000 products that account for 90 percent of products traded between China and ASEAN. Chinese media reports said bilateral trade has grown 24.2 percent on average every year from 78.2 billion dollars in 2003 to 231.1 billion dollars last year. The agreement is expected to further raise trade between the two regions. The Chinese Commerce Ministry said, “The implementation of the free trade agreement signals real and comprehensive cooperation between the two regions.”
China and ASEAN have a combined population of 1.9 billion and generate six trillion dollars in GDP. Bilateral trade volume is 4.5 trillion dollars a year.
Beijing has sought a foothold in the ASEAN market over the past six years by providing member countries with a venue to promote their products through the China-ASEAN Expo in Nanning.
In December last year, Guangxi and Yunnan provinces agreed with ASEAN to make payments in yuan. Early this year, China also set up a currency swap agreement with Malaysia worth 80 billion yuan and another with Indonesia worth 100 billion yuan to weather the global financial crisis.
Separately, Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping visited Myanmar Dec. 21 to seal a deal on building an oil pipeline 771 kilometers long running from Yunnan through Myanmar to the Indian Ocean. This deal is important from a strategic perspective as well as an economic perspective, according to experts. Establishing a route to transport Mideast oil without crossing the Strait of Malacca, an area which is influenced by the U.S. Navy, is China’s long-cherished wish.
Experts say China’s growing influence in ASEAN, which has long been Japan’s turf even before World War II, will weaken Japan’s clout in the region and lead to fierce competition between Asia’s top two economies.
An example of China’s growing influence in Southeast Asia is Cambodia’s recent repatriation of 20 people from the northwestern Chinese city of Urumqi. They had sought asylum in the Southeast Asian country in the wake of unrest that occurred in the city July 5.
DECEMBER 31, 2009 09:08
A free trade agreement between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations or ASEAN to take effect tomorrow is expected to expand Chinese influence in Southeast Asia.
Beijing will hold a massive event to celebrate the accord Jan. 7 in Nanning, the capital of China’s Guangxi province. Scheduled to attend are government delegations from China and 10 ASEAN member countries as well as CEOs from the world’s top 500 companies.
The agreement will boost economic cooperation between the two regions and lay the groundwork for China to expand its influence in Southeast Asia.
Of the 10 ASEAN member countries, the agreement will take effect first in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, the Philippines and Singapore. Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam will implement the deal from 2015.
The agreement will eliminate tariffs on 7,000 products that account for 90 percent of products traded between China and ASEAN. Chinese media reports said bilateral trade has grown 24.2 percent on average every year from 78.2 billion dollars in 2003 to 231.1 billion dollars last year. The agreement is expected to further raise trade between the two regions. The Chinese Commerce Ministry said, “The implementation of the free trade agreement signals real and comprehensive cooperation between the two regions.”
China and ASEAN have a combined population of 1.9 billion and generate six trillion dollars in GDP. Bilateral trade volume is 4.5 trillion dollars a year.
Beijing has sought a foothold in the ASEAN market over the past six years by providing member countries with a venue to promote their products through the China-ASEAN Expo in Nanning.
In December last year, Guangxi and Yunnan provinces agreed with ASEAN to make payments in yuan. Early this year, China also set up a currency swap agreement with Malaysia worth 80 billion yuan and another with Indonesia worth 100 billion yuan to weather the global financial crisis.
Separately, Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping visited Myanmar Dec. 21 to seal a deal on building an oil pipeline 771 kilometers long running from Yunnan through Myanmar to the Indian Ocean. This deal is important from a strategic perspective as well as an economic perspective, according to experts. Establishing a route to transport Mideast oil without crossing the Strait of Malacca, an area which is influenced by the U.S. Navy, is China’s long-cherished wish.
Experts say China’s growing influence in ASEAN, which has long been Japan’s turf even before World War II, will weaken Japan’s clout in the region and lead to fierce competition between Asia’s top two economies.
An example of China’s growing influence in Southeast Asia is Cambodia’s recent repatriation of 20 people from the northwestern Chinese city of Urumqi. They had sought asylum in the Southeast Asian country in the wake of unrest that occurred in the city July 5.
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