U.S. idealism irritates Southeast Asia

U.S. idealism irritates Southeast Asia

By Masaomi Terada

SINGAPORE: An assistant U.S. secretary of state recently Warren Christopher to shift U.S.-Asian policies. The memo from Winston Lord has caused a widespread stir, but Asian views about the United States are along doing an about-face.

Noordin Sopiee, director of the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia, said the United States has made human rights and working conditions pillars of its foreign policies toward Asian countries.

But a house cannot be built on pillars alone, he said at an international economic seminar in Singapore May 18-19.

Actually, Washington is linking human rights issues in dealing with rade problems with China and Vietnam, and working conditions with some other Asian countries, including Indonesia and Malaysia. However, the U.S. policies are being criticized for delaying economic development of the region, now dubbed the world's economic growth center.

On May 17 labor ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations gathered in Singapore to discuss labor problems. They also expressed their concern about the policies of the United States and some European countries as they seek improvement of labor standards in exchange for an expansion of trade.

The United States has developed itself by turning is different cultures and people into a source of energy. Likewise, Asian countries are now building cooperative relations, rising above differences in their politics, religion and other factors. Their economic links function as a glue.

These Asian countries also believe that further economic prosperity of Southeast Asia depends on closer economic ties with China and Vietnam, although there are some fears and points yet to be clarified about these countries.

One of such problem involves the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea over which China is insisting on territorial rights.

Lee Kuan yew, senior minister in the Singaporean government, said Southeast Asian countries' fears may not be resolved until China clarifies its long-term policies on the islands.

S. Jayakumar, Singapore's foreign minister, said huge investments originally intended for Southeast Asia may bypass the region and go instead to the Chinese and Vietnamese market.

But relations between Southeast Asian countries and China and Vietnam are improving.

The May 18-19 economic seminar in Singapore was joined by Deputy Chinese Premier Li Lanqing and Vietnamese Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet.

One participant commented that the presence of the two was a kind of miracle, considering hostilities in the region after World War II.

Meanwhile, Southeast Asian countries are becoming growingly impatient about he U.S. policies centering on human rights because they are still too idealistic.

"I see no difference between us and the U.S. we are also trying had to practice democracy as much as possible through economic development. But the approach to that goal differs from country to country. Washington should not interfere in that approach," says Surin Maisrikrod, a Thai guest researcher at the Institute of Southeast Asia Studies Singapore.

The recent caning of an 18-year-old U.S. youth by Singaporean authorities for vandalism demonstrated their determination that peace and order was absolutely necessary for economic prosperity in Singapore.

Their firm conviction has led some Singaporeans to believe that the major reason he United States is plagued by a large number of criminal cases is because the nation lacks sufficient punishments for offenders. Singaporean Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong was quoted as saying that in some instances the level of education in the United States in inferior to those of developing countries.

Goh was joined by Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who described current developments in the region as an Asian "renaissance," coming 500 years after Vasco da Gama reached Asia to pave the way for colonial rule by Western countries. "At long last, it is the time for us to decide the fate of Asia with our own hands," he said.

Indonesian Industrial Minister Hartarto Sastrosunarto stressed the importance of realizing an economic sphere stretching from South Africa to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, including India and Australia. His statement meant that ASEAN's perspective has spread beyond the Pacific to the Indian Ocean.

However, a key to Southeast Asia's future economic prosperity depends heavily on the U.S. market and its ability to buy Asian products.

Under the circumstances, these statements by ASEAN leaders can be viewed as messages to Washington, trying to convey their wishes to treat their nations on a equal footing. And their messages are becoming louder year by year.

Japan should also be fully aware of these sentiments on the part of Asian countries because it will be increasingly called on to assume a mediation role in such international groupings as the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.

-- The Daily Yomiuri