英字新聞

　　

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Nov. 8, 2009)
Japan, China, U.S. can play joint role in Mekong
メコン地域　米中と連携して開発支援を（11月8日付・読売社説）

A neighbor to the countries that hug the Mekong River in Indochina, China has long had an interest in the region, but the United States has recently developed a growing interest in the nations as well.
　インドシナ半島を流れるメコン川一帯の国々には、国境を接する中国に加え、最近は米国も関心を強めている。

Japan should take this opportunity, therefore, to back development of the region in close cooperation with both China and the United States.
　日本は、米中両国と緊密に連携しながら、この地域の開発支援を進めるべきだ。

The leaders of Japan and Southeast Asia's five Mekong River nations--Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam--met in Tokyo for their first-ever Japan-Mekong summit meeting on Friday and Saturday.
　タイ、ベトナム、ラオス、カンボジア、ミャンマー５か国と日本との初の日本・メコン地域諸国首脳会議が、東京で開かれた。

The Tokyo Declaration adopted at the summit incorporates Japan's support measures, including the development of a distribution network linking production sites and industrial centers that are scattered across the region, as well as the expansion of assistance in the field of environmental protection.
　共同宣言には、日本の具体的な支援策として、地域に点在する生産拠点や産業集積地をつなぐ物流ネットワークの整備や、環境分野の支援の拡充が盛り込まれた。

Japan and China have found themselves competing for influence when it comes to development of the Mekong area, implementing their own plans regarding the building of transport corridors via the construction of roads, bridges and tunnels.
　メコン開発では、道路や橋、トンネルの建設による「回廊」（幹線道路）づくりを中国と日本が競い合う形で進めてきた。

China has provided assistance for the North-South Economic Corridor program, which covers an area stretching from China's Yunnan Province in the north to Thailand and Vietnam in the south.
　中国は、雲南省からタイやベトナムに南下する南北経済回廊の整備を支援した。

Japan, on the other hand, has provided official development assistance for the construction of both the East-West Economic Corridor program, which covers the Indochina area, and the Southern Economic Corridor program, which connects Bangkok with Ho Chi Minh City.
日本は、インドシナ半島を横断する東西経済回廊、タイのバンコクとベトナムのホーチミンをつなぐ南部経済回廊の建設をＯＤＡ（政府開発援助）でサポートした。

===

Common rules needed

The use of land routes, such as the East-West Economic Corridor, could greatly reduce the time taken to transport goods compared with sending them by sea via the Malacca Straits.
　マラッカ海峡を経由する海上輸送と比べ、東西経済回廊などの陸路を使えば、輸送にかかる時間は大幅に短縮できる。

However, there are hurdles to be overcome to realize a smoothly functioning transport corridor, most notably that customs and quarantine procedures at borders will need to be unified and streamlined.
　だが、課題も多い。物流ルートとして使うには、国境を越える際の通関や検疫の手続きを統一し、簡素化を図ることが不可欠だ。

Therefore, the joint statement reached at the summit notes the importance of improving the basic infrastructure of the Mekong states, not only in terms of hardware such as roads, but software such as border controls.
　共同宣言が、ハード面だけでなくソフト面の基盤整備の重要性を指摘したのもこのためだ。

Japan should emphasize its support for the reshaping of such institutions and the training of customs and quarantine personnel.
今後は手続きの制度設計への支援や、通関・検疫業務に従事する人材の育成などに力を入れるべきだ。

===

Dialogue with China, U.S. key

Japan and China have provided development assistance to Mekong nations within their own frameworks. But to ensure goods can be transported and people can travel without problems along the three key corridors, it is necessary to establish common rules covering their use.
　日中はそれぞれ独自の枠組みで開発支援を行ってきた。今後、３回廊の往来をスムーズにするには共通のルールづくりが必要だ。

To that end, it is important that the Japan-China Mekong policy dialogue forum, set up by Tokyo and Beijing in 2008, be used to enable the exchange of opinions on future policies for the Mekong region to safeguard the region's development and stability.
そのためには、昨年から始まった日中メコン政策対話の場を活用していくことが大切になる。

Also of importance is cooperation with the United States. The administration of U.S. President Barack Obama has placed importance on strengthening its ties with Asian nations.
In July, the United States held its first-ever ministerial meeting with four Mekong nations in Thailand--Myanmar being the only nation excluded from the forum.
　さらに重要なのが、米国との連携だ。オバマ政権はアジア重視の政策を打ち出し、７月には、ミャンマーを除く４か国との閣僚会議をタイで初めて開催した。

To address the situation in Myanmar, the Obama administration has revised the previous administration's economic sanctions-only policy and told the Myanmar junta it is ready to improve relations with the country.
　対ミャンマー政策も、オバマ政権は、経済制裁一辺倒だった姿勢を改め、関係改善の用意があることを軍事政権側に伝えた。

China has been increasing its influence over Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia, using economic aid as a strategic tool.
　中国は、経済援助を利用してミャンマー、ラオス、カンボジアなどへの影響力を強めている。

Washington's apprehension over Beijing's moves is thought to be a key reason the United States has adopted a policy of engagement with Myanmar.
それに対する警戒感が、米国を関与政策に向かわせた理由の一つとみられている。

As Japan builds a cooperative relationship with China, it must also work with the United States in a way that promotes a favorable outcome for all parties.
　日本が中国と協力関係を築く上でも、米国との連携は、プラスの効果をもたらすだろう。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Nov. 8, 2009)
（2009年11月8日01時04分 読売新聞）