US Behind China in Giving Aid to Cambodia, Other Small Developing Countries
SEP20081215045002 Phnom Penh Moneaksekar Khmer in Cambodian 15 Dec 08 pp 1, 4
[Article by Chuop Praha]
A January 2008 report by the Congressional Research Service [CRS] noted that
China outpaced the U.S. in assistance to lesser developed Southeast Asian
countries last year. Cambodia, for example, received $689 million from China in
2007, along with pledges of $1 billion in loans in 2008 for two dam projects to
power the electricity-starved countryside. That's far above the United States'
total assistance of $55 million in 2007, mostly disbursed through
non-governmental organizations.
The report further noted that when the Phnom Penh government was facing a $1
billion shortfall in development funds from a lagging economy, it was China
that gave Cambodia millions in loans for infrastructure. This point has not
passed unnoticed by the international circles as they clearly see that China
has outdistanced the United States in assistance to small developing countries,
such as Cambodia.
It should be recalled that Prime Minister Hun Sen met with Chinese Premier Wen
Jiabao on 24 October at the Asia-Europe summit in Beijing and China promised
another $280 million in loans to Cambodia. This is a reason why over the past
few years the Hun Sen government has maintained a much closer relationship with
communist China than it has with the United States. However, China's aid and
loans have not been very useful to the poor Cambodians. On the contrary, they
only help to further devastate Cambodia's natural resources, gold ores, and
precious stones, as well as forests, which will be completely exhausted in the
very near future.
More controversially, Burma has also received pledges of around $5 billion in
loans, equipment, and investment from China since the ruling military junta
took power in 1988, the CRS report added while noting that Chinese aid to Burma
keeps the military junta led by General Than Shwe afloat. Meanwhile, the
United States' 2007 aid to Burma at $12 million was intended only for refugee
programs along the Thai-Burmese border, which constitutes a paltry sum,
perhaps, but a more justifiable cause.
Cambodia and Burma have all toed the line on Beijing's "one China" policy to
appease the country's aid regimen, while Beijing reportedly halted $200 million
in annual aid to Vietnam in 2006 after Vietnam invited Taiwan to attend that
year's APEC summit in Hanoi.
Analysts claimed that although China's assistance to Southeast Asian countries
appears to be with no string attached, unlike that of Western countries,
Chinese aid is self-serving for its own future. As a matter of fact, a foreign
news bulletin wrote in late October that Chinese aid besides doling out loans
gives China a big payback in its search for raw materials from other countries,
such as gas, petroleum, and ores, as well as another dividend in the form of
China's influence over Southeast Asia's future young generations. It is
undisputable that currently China's aid and loans are leading the Hun Sen
government to follow a wrong path of democracy and are causing it to engage in
serious human rights violations.
During a recent visit of one of China's top communist leaders, Chairman of the
Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Jia Qinling, China promised
to massively assist Cambodia. However, while making this huge aid pledge the
Chinese were eyeing Cambodia's iron ores, petroleum deposit, and many other
natural resources that would bring them greater dividends from their
investment. Therefore, Chinese aid is not really beneficial to Cambodia's
development. It is undoubtedly a very self-serving assistance.
So far, the Sino-Cambodian ties of friendship have instilled some Cambodians
with increasing concerns, for China's aid is never "with no string attached."
China's "strings" have already been clearly defined in that Cambodia must
recognize the "one China" policy. Moreover, China has always nurtured the
desire to continually consolidate the influence of its communist policy on
Cambodia. As a matter of fact, during the Khmer Rouge regime, it was China
that lent this group full support, leading to the deaths of millions of
Cambodians. But now China dares not own up its mistake in supporting the
"Killing Fields" regime. On the contrary, China has sought excuses not to
recognize what it did, and in order to cover up this truth China has given the
Hun Sen government massive aid.
Brief, during the past few years the United States, a democratic powerhouse,
has been outraced by communist China in terms of providing development aid to
Cambodia. It is for this reason that the Hun Sen government is stepping
farther and further away from the democratic path without fearing that the
international communist and other aid donors would slash their aid. This is
because even if the international community and donor countries cut their aid,
the Hun Sen government will not be fazed, for communist China is always
prepared to give it as much aid and loans as it wants.
[Description of Source: Phnom Penh Moneaksekar Khmer in Cambodian Translated as
Khmer Conscience. Widely read anti-government daily newspaper affiliated with
the Sam Rainsy Party; occasionally adopts pro-US stance.]
"My Khmer Compatriots, ask not what Cambodia and her People can do for you, ask
what you can do for Cambodia and her People"
The Khmer Politicians have only interpreted the Cambodia and her beloved people
in various ways.
The point, however, is to change it...
---Khmer Blood---
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