US Can’t Be Myanmar’s Bargaining Chip Against China
By Hu Weijia
Global Times
2019/4/10 21:13:39
A team of US economists, diplomats and lawyers was dispatched to Myanmar to "scrutinize contracts, flag bad deals, and empower the country to push for better terms with Chinese agencies and companies," the Wall Street Journal reported, amid concerns that a Chinese-funded deep water port may land Myanmar in a so-called debt trap.
Can the US be the developing country's best advocate and consultant? The answer is an obvious no. Myanmar-US relations are less rosy than they appear. The US in the past year has imposed sanctions on four Myanmar security officials, accusing them of "ethnic cleansing" against Rohingya Muslims. The leaders of the US and Myanmar differ on a series of matters including the Rohingya issue. It's hard to imagine that the US, as an imposer of sanctions, can think from Myanmar's perspective to safeguard the interests of a country upon which the US itself has imposed sanctions.
This is not the first time that Myanmar has faced sanctions. The US imposed a broad range of sanctions on Myanmar more than 15 years ago and lifted them in 2016. The sanctions weighed on economic development, especially Myanmar's much-needed infrastructure construction. However, the US turned a blind eye to the tough lives of people in Myanmar. At the most difficult time for Myanmar's economy, China agreed to provide loans at preferential interest rates for the Yeywa Hydropower Station, which now provides a stable supply of power for households in cities including Yangon.
Why has the formerly apathetic US become an enthusiastic "consultant" for Myanmar? What the US wants to do is countering China's growing influence in Southeast Asia. It's understandable Washington may want to instigate antagonism with China in Myanmar to sabotage cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative ahead of the second Belt and Road Forum. The so-called economic advice only serves to give Washington an excuse to interfere in Myanmar's internal affairs.
With America First as the guiding principle, the economic advice offered by the US can't be objective. There is no lack of examples when it comes to economic issues being politicized by the US government. In December, Canada warned the US not to politicize extradition cases, a day after US President Donald Trump reportedly suggested he could intervene in the arrest of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou.
Hopefully, Myanmar will not allow the US to politicize its development opportunities brought by Chinese investment.
Myanmar is in urgent need of foreign investment for an economic take-off, but the country doesn't have too many choices other than China, a country that leads in global infrastructure investment. China is willing to cooperate with Myanmar, and we believe the Southeast Asian nation has the same willingness.
US can't be the bargaining chip in Myanmar's economic negotiations with China.
Myanmar should realize that the US is moving to contain China on the global stage, thus what the US is doing in Myanmar is merely part of the strategy.
The author is a reporter with the Global Times. bizopinion@globaltimes.com.cn
Global Times
2019/4/10 21:13:39
A team of US economists, diplomats and lawyers was dispatched to Myanmar to "scrutinize contracts, flag bad deals, and empower the country to push for better terms with Chinese agencies and companies," the Wall Street Journal reported, amid concerns that a Chinese-funded deep water port may land Myanmar in a so-called debt trap.
Can the US be the developing country's best advocate and consultant? The answer is an obvious no. Myanmar-US relations are less rosy than they appear. The US in the past year has imposed sanctions on four Myanmar security officials, accusing them of "ethnic cleansing" against Rohingya Muslims. The leaders of the US and Myanmar differ on a series of matters including the Rohingya issue. It's hard to imagine that the US, as an imposer of sanctions, can think from Myanmar's perspective to safeguard the interests of a country upon which the US itself has imposed sanctions.
This is not the first time that Myanmar has faced sanctions. The US imposed a broad range of sanctions on Myanmar more than 15 years ago and lifted them in 2016. The sanctions weighed on economic development, especially Myanmar's much-needed infrastructure construction. However, the US turned a blind eye to the tough lives of people in Myanmar. At the most difficult time for Myanmar's economy, China agreed to provide loans at preferential interest rates for the Yeywa Hydropower Station, which now provides a stable supply of power for households in cities including Yangon.
Why has the formerly apathetic US become an enthusiastic "consultant" for Myanmar? What the US wants to do is countering China's growing influence in Southeast Asia. It's understandable Washington may want to instigate antagonism with China in Myanmar to sabotage cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative ahead of the second Belt and Road Forum. The so-called economic advice only serves to give Washington an excuse to interfere in Myanmar's internal affairs.
With America First as the guiding principle, the economic advice offered by the US can't be objective. There is no lack of examples when it comes to economic issues being politicized by the US government. In December, Canada warned the US not to politicize extradition cases, a day after US President Donald Trump reportedly suggested he could intervene in the arrest of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou.
Hopefully, Myanmar will not allow the US to politicize its development opportunities brought by Chinese investment.
Myanmar is in urgent need of foreign investment for an economic take-off, but the country doesn't have too many choices other than China, a country that leads in global infrastructure investment. China is willing to cooperate with Myanmar, and we believe the Southeast Asian nation has the same willingness.
US can't be the bargaining chip in Myanmar's economic negotiations with China.
Myanmar should realize that the US is moving to contain China on the global stage, thus what the US is doing in Myanmar is merely part of the strategy.
The author is a reporter with the Global Times. bizopinion@globaltimes.com.cn
No comments:
Post a Comment