Japan Pledges over $8.2 Billion in Aid for Mekong Region Nations

[bsruzm]

Congrats!

 

[somsak]

 

[Aepsilons]

Really ?

Classic Chinese (古文) or "ancient text" is the language of the classic literature from the end of the Spring and Autumn period through to the end of the Han Dynasty, a written form of Old Chinese.

Today, how many characters does the average literate Chinese person know? Studies carried out in China have shown that full literacy requires a knowledge of between three and four thousand characters only.

Hi @biendong ,

As one who is well traveled , and a frequent visitor of Taiwan, Hong Kong (and Guangdong) , I can say with great confidence in how there really is a strong sense of tradition , Classic Chinese Tradition, in Taiwan, as well as in Hong Kong. Hong Kong is a strong cultural bed for Cantonese culture , Cantonese language , food, and exposure to western and democratic thought process. That is the reality.

Taiwan is a larger version of Hong Kong, tho a bit more conservative than Hong Kong. Taiwan has a strong Hakka interior cultural paradigm , tho they are not necessarily considered the 'majority', its presence, the Hakka dialectic, is present.

I always find so much similarity between Japanese and Taiwanese societies in that there is a strong, evident presence of Confucianism in society. The Taiwanese, like Japanese, are also prolific in Buddhist cultural nuances. Its common to see Taiwanese folks visit temples prior to going to work, after work and coming back to work. This is also a common trait in Japan. To an extent it is also so in Hong Kong.

But in China Mainland, it is different in that there is not that much sense of religiosity as compared to say Taiwan, or Hong Kong.

I am basing my opinion on my visits to Ningbo, Beijing, Fujian , Guangdong (Guangzhou, Shenzhen et al), Hong Kong, Taiwan, Hainan over the years.

But yes, @biendong --- if you want to see traditional Chinese culture --- i recommend you visit Taiwan for at least 2-3 weeks.




Regards,

Classic Chinese (古文)

My sublime apologies. I meant to say "Traditional Chinese Character".

Again, my apologies for the confusion.

 

[biendong]

Hi @biendong ,

As one who is well traveled , and a frequent visitor of Taiwan, Hong Kong (and Guangdong) , I can say with great confidence in how there really is a strong sense of tradition , Classic Chinese Tradition, in Taiwan, as well as in Hong Kong. Hong Kong is a strong cultural bed for Cantonese culture , Cantonese language , food, and exposure to western and democratic thought process. That is the reality.

Taiwan is a larger version of Hong Kong, tho a bit more conservative than Hong Kong. Taiwan has a strong Hakka interior cultural paradigm , tho they are not necessarily considered the 'majority', its presence, the Hakka dialectic, is present.

I always find so much similarity between Japanese and Taiwanese societies in that there is a strong, evident presence of Confucianism in society. The Taiwanese, like Japanese, are also prolific in Buddhist cultural nuances. Its common to see Taiwanese folks visit temples prior to going to work, after work and coming back to work. This is also a common trait in Japan. To an extent it is also so in Hong Kong.

But in China Mainland, it is different in that there is not that much sense of religiosity as compared to say Taiwan, or Hong Kong.

I am basing my opinion on my visits to Ningbo, Beijing, Fujian , Guangdong (Guangzhou, Shenzhen et al), Hong Kong, Taiwan, Hainan over the years.

But yes, @biendong --- if you want to see traditional Chinese culture --- i recommend you visit Taiwan for at least 2-3 weeks.




Regards,




My sublime apologies. I meant to say "Traditional Chinese Character".

Again, my apologies for the confusion.

Thanks for clarification.

I said about " Classic Chinese characters" not to " Tradition Chinese Cultural characters".

 

[Aepsilons]

Thanks for clarification.

I said about " Classic Chinese characters" not to " Tradition Chinese Cultural characters".

You are right @biendong , i was in the err by saying "Classic Chinese", I should have said "Traditional Chinese". Again, i apologize for the confusion.

 

[NiceGuy]

@xesy @Viet @NiceGuy, @biendong, @LacViet, @liubang, @somsak et al ----And Japan unleashes her blessings...


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TOKYO — Japan pledged today (July 4) to give fresh aid worth US$6.1 billion (S$8.2 billion) in official development assistance to five Southeast Asian countries along the Mekong River over the next three years to boost the region’s infrastructure development and stability.

The aid was unveiled during a summit in Tokyo between leaders of Japan and the Mekong nations — Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam — where they adopted a 2016-2018 strategy to spur quality growth and enhance connectivity in the fast-growing region, in a bid to counter China’s growing political and economic clout there.

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In a veiled criticism of Beijing’s recent rapid and large-scale reclamation work in the South China Sea, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the five Mekong nations’ leaders “noted concerns expressed over the recent development in the South China Sea,” according to a document on their new cooperation strategy.

Alluding to Beijing’s attempts to change the status quo by force, the leaders said the recent development in that area “will further complicate the situation and erode trust and confidence and may undermine regional peace, security and stability.” The document stopped short of singling out China.

Japan hopes to distinguish its aid packages on infrastructure development in the resource-rich Mekong region from that of China by promoting advanced Japanese technology, and sharing environment-friendly know-how and capacity-building, Japanese officials said.

Japan’s engagement in the Mekong region — a potential destination for infrastructure exports — is also aimed at helping narrow the development disparities in the broader regional grouping known as the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations, which the five Mekong states are part of, and supporting efforts for ASEAN to be more integrated economically, the officials said.

In their summit in April 2012, Japan pledged to provide $7.4 billion yen in ODA to the five Mekong countries over the following three years to boost the region’s development.

Under the New Tokyo Strategy 2015 for Mekong-Japan Cooperation, Mr Abe and the Mekong leaders agreed that the region has potential to be a “global growth center” given the region’s growing economies in recent years and strategic location next to major Asian markets such as China and India.

“The Mekong region, which has vast infrastructure demands, is one of the priority areas,” Mr Abe said at a joint press conference with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, Lao Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong, Myanmar President Thein Sein, Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

“Japan will contribute to peace and stability in the Mekong region and walk side by side with Mekong countries to achieve together high-quality growth,” Mr Abe said after the Mekong-Japan summit, the seventh of its kind since it was first held in 2009.


Japan pledges S$8.2b for development of Mekong nations | TODAYonline

Hj, Im back from a long ban

Yeah, as I know, US also pour a huge investment in a Mega port project in Cam Mau province coz he believes that the Kra Canal project in Thailand will come to reality soon, and its time to say bye bye to Malacca strait

@NiceGuy what's your perspective on Japanese ODA?

Its good if JP stop making a double price when giving VN ODA loan

 

[Aepsilons]

Hj, Im back from a long ban

Yeah, as I know, US also pour a huge investment in a Mega port project in Cam Mau province coz he believes that the Kra Canal project in Thailand will come to reality soon, and its time to say bye bye to Malacca strait


Its good if JP stop making a double price when giving VN ODA loan

Welcome back, my Vietnam buddy !

 

[NiceGuy]

VIETNAM'S GOVERNMENT GIVES GO-AHEAD FOR $2.5 BLN PORT PROJECT
0
HANOI, July 18 (Reuters) - Vietnam's government has agreed on a port project in the southern province of Ca Mau, costing some $2.5 billion according to media reports and which would be able to host some of the world's biggest ships. The Hon Khoai port would be built under a public-private partnership, the government said in a statement on Saturday, while local media, citing a provincial proposal, said 85 percent of the funding would be via loans from the Export-Import Bank of the United States.

The remaining 15 percent of the cost will come from the private sector. State-run news website VnEconomy said the provincial authority had proposed local, unlisted Cong Ly Construction-Trading-Tourism Co as investor for the project.
The five-year project, to be completed in 2020, will need further evaluation and approval from the Ca Mau provincial authority, the government said in a directive posted on its website on Friday. (chinhphu.vn)

New route in Kra canals will be much more shorter than oil route passing Malacca strait.

 

[Jlaw]

Hj, Im back from a long ban

Yeah, as I know, US also pour a huge investment in a Mega port project in Cam Mau province coz he believes that the Kra Canal project in Thailand will come to reality soon, and its time to say bye bye to Malacca strait


Its good if JP stop making a double price when giving VN ODA loan

But we know Japan will not do so. They will continue doing what they have been doing thus far.

 

[Aepsilons]

But we know Japan will not do so. They will continue doing what they have been doing thus far.

In Nihonggo, we have a saying that goes : 仕事 と 遊び をごっちゃにするな (Said as: Shigoto to asobi o gotcha ni suru na = Never mix business with pleasure)

Japan is friends with Vietnam; but business is business.

 

[NiceGuy]

In Nihonggo, we have a saying that goes : 仕事 と 遊び をごっちゃにするな (Said as: Shigoto to asobi o gotcha ni suru na = Never mix business with pleasure)

Japan is friends with Vietnam; but business is business.

Yeah, and that kind of 'bussiness' is making JPese look worse in VNese view.

 

[Aepsilons]

Yeah, and that kind of 'bussiness' is making JPese look worse in VNese view.

Of course bro, definitely what really hurt Japan in Vietnam was the level of corruption that our folks were involved in , and providing kickbacks to the local folks. This really hurt both people and most of all the trust Vietnamese have for Japan. I hope that both Vietnamese and Japanese work together to tackle the corruption. Hopefully our friends in Vietnam continue to have confidence in us...

 

[NiceGuy]

Of course bro, definitely what really hurt Japan in Vietnam was the level of corruption that our folks were involved in , and providing kickbacks to the local folks. This really hurt both people and most of all the trust Vietnamese have for Japan. I hope that both Vietnamese and Japanese work together to tackle the corruption. Hopefully our friends in Vietnam continue to have confidence in us...

Problem is that even when corruption is removed, JP always offer a higher price than loans from other nations. That why, in Ca Mau mega port project I mentioned above, Vn use USA loan from US exim bank.

 

[Aepsilons]

Problem is that even when corruption is removed, JP always offer a higher price than loans from other nations. That why, in Ca Mau mega port project I mentioned above, Vn use USA loan from US exim bank.

Definitely bro....

 

[Viet]

Japan charts road to industrialization for Mekong region
Aug 24, 2015
Kyodo

KUALA LUMPUR – Japan and the five Southeast Asian countries bordering the Mekong River adopted a blueprint Monday to boost industrialization in the subregion.

The blueprint, known as “The Mekong Industrial Development Vision,” got the thumbs-up during a meeting between Japan’s Minister for Economy, Trade and Industry Yoichi Miyazawa and his counterparts from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam in Kuala Lumpur on the sidelines of the annual meeting of trade ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and its dialogue partners including Japan.

A set of policy directions are spelled out, such as harmonizing standards and certification to ease the flow of cross-border trade, developing special economic zones along the border, and collaborating with Japanese universities and industry to foster skilled workforces and promote research and development.

These region-wide efforts will be implemented by 2020.

The region also needs to strengthen its infrastructure and ensure energy supply stability. To that end, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced in May that his government will allocate $110 billion for the development of quality infrastructure in the region over the next five years.

Two months later, he pledged another $6.1 billion in aid over the next three years to boost infrastructure as he sought to blunt China’s growing economic and political clout in Southeast Asia, while at the same time boosting Japanese infrastructure exports.

Under the blueprint, a work program with specific activities and timelines will be formulated in collaboration with various agencies like the Japan International Cooperation Agency, the Japan External Trade Organization and the Asian Development Bank for submission to the next Mekong-Japan Economic Ministers Meeting in 2016.

The Mekong countries all have great economic potential in view of their location between two fast-growing economic giants, China and India. Exports to the two countries have seen an annual growth rate of over 20 percent since 2000, according to the document.

Foreign investments rose from $4 billion in the early 2000s to over $10 billion in 2010. But such investments are generally focused on natural resources, such as oil, gas, minerals, water and land, or labor-intensive industries like making shoes and clothes and large-scale assembly lines in manufacturing industries.

Japan’s engagement with the Mekong countries is also aimed at narrowing development disparities between the region and the rest of Southeast Asia.

Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam still lag behind their ASEAN partners Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines and Thailand. They all need a leg-up, especially as ASEAN aims for greater economic integration.

Under the ASEAN Economic Community road map, the grouping envisions an integrated market and production base with the free flow of goods, services, investments, skilled labor and capital.

It aims to boost the combined gross domestic product of the grouping to $4.7 trillion by 2020. ASEAN’s combined GDP is currently estimated at $2.7 trillion.

Japan charts road to industrialization for Mekong region | The Japan Times



I like the rivalries between the great powers. the more they compete for influence in the asia pacific, the more the smaller nations benefit. Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar are the least developed countries within asean. we have a lot to catch up.