politics

Abe woos Vietnam amid shared China concerns

9 Comments
By TRAN VAN MINH

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9 Comments
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I start liking Abe better and better.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

Smart move.

It would do Japan good to build up more of these partnerships to contain China's economic and military influence in the region. Call it the Buddhist Block: Mongolia, S.Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and while we're at it bring in India, as well.

2 ( +6 / -4 )

Two problems here: 1. Japan will have to compete with China for tie-ups with Vietnamese and other SE Asian govt's/companies - the Chinese are moving into SE Asia in a much bigger manner than Japan. China has substantially more money to throw around. 2. Dealing with the Communist regime in Vietnam is no piece of cake, palms must be greased with plenty of bribes, I mean "gifts"...

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

Mr Abe is the best if you can pay attention on what he does , he is very meaningful to japan , and to others too in all field , i pray for his successful then he can help the Asean to deal with the bullying china

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Bad move, as opposed to trying to make nice with China. It'll cost trillions to move the companies, set up the infrastructure, and train the locals to do what the Chinese can already do, and by then Japan will have been yet again left in the dust by China and the countries that still deal with it. Why doesn't Abe live up to his promise of improving relations instead of engaging in all the rhetoric and bombast that is pushing the two nations further apart?

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

smithinjapanJan. 17, 2013 - 12:14PM JST

Bad move, as opposed to trying to make nice with China. It'll cost trillions to move the companies, set up the infrastructure, and train the locals to do what the Chinese can already do,

Exactly and anyone who has been to Vietnam will tell you the country is an economic, administrative and mess with an infrastrucure that makes India look first world.

Vietnamese men must some of the laziest people I have ever encountered

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

In reality Japan has been cultivating a relationship with Vietnam for years with infrastructure development and business deals however is it really paying off? I know that Vietnam offers geographic proximity, growing consumerism, and a young labor force and there are even those that consider it as a Asian hub for healthy development that offers resistance to China's economic influence. But the truth is Vietnam's infrastructure remains a nightmare with insufficient roads, and ports which has limited the country's export potential. In fact the combination of unreliable power supplies and poor transport network is reducing the country's attractiveness as a destination for foreign investments and has threatened there annual GDP growth. Since they are unable to finance all the necessary investments more investments by domestic and foreign private-sector companies are increasing and increased amounts of overseas development assistance is growing. Hence Prime Minister Abe must feel that Japan needs Vietnam and vice verse because they complement each other? So what does Japan get in return? Vietnam gives Japan preferential treatment by offering special trade status.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I feel it's kinda childish seeking attention by visiting each countries one by one but what exactly can these actions do in reducing tensions? Instead it may probably add more problems where those countries would rather stay neutral than anything else as even US and Europe does not want to involve anything on the matter.

One should refresh himself and start thinking who is actually steering up the issue over and over again?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

serious strategic mistake by japan side.

i know by heart that vietnam and other asean countries will ditch japan first if there are economic/trade conflict btw asean countries and china. china is the biggest trader with asean and its economic power in the region overcomes any territorial dispute.

go visit hanoi, jakarta, bangkok and you will see instantly the power of chinese immigrants there.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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