Softer tone welcome, but US must deliver

NEWS THINK

The Obama administration has succeeded in presenting its friendly face to Southeast Asian nations thanks to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who was in listening mode in Phuket.

But we should not overemphasise her understanding approach until new, tangible and pragmatic projects emerge.

Exceptions to this, perhaps, are a softer approach to renewed US diplomatic efforts in many countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and environmental support for water management and climate change.

On Burma, she did not challenge Asean outright that if Burma did not open up politically and economically, then the regional grouping should expel its stubborn member.

She also gave a message with a similar tone about North Korea.

The US has started to do something in Indochina, its former battlefields in the 1960 and 1970s in its fight against communism, by launching the Mekong-Mississippi cooperation agreement.

It will certainly be fascinating to see how the relationship between Washington and its former foes together with Thailand, a staunch ally of America then and now, unfolds on an annual basis at the sidelines of Asean meetings.

Only general schemes on human resource development, water management, education, and other environmental conservation were highlighted for further cooperation efforts.

But Washington may have to do this quickly and sincerely given that Japan has been very successful with aid and soft diplomacy, and China in recent years has been more aggressive in trade and investment as well as cultural promotion in the Mekong sub-region.

Japan has already given US$20 million to each Mekong member for the Development Triangle project and contributed substantially to improve logistics for the East-West and Southern economic corridors.

Tokyo has also provided an additional $62 million to the Asean Secretariat for emergency economic assistance for people in Asean member states affected by the current economic crisis.

Japan this year has also focused on reaching out to youth. So far, 3,500 youngsters from Asean have arrived in Japan since the launch of the programme in May 2007.

Official development assistance, though decreasing, also stands at nearly US$2 billion for Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

China has already set up the $10 billion fund for infrastructure investment cooperation with Asean.

Beijing has also pledged to provide $15 billion in commercial credit, including $1.7 billion in preferential loans, to Asean members over the next three to five years.