japon thailande 13jan02
Thaksin expresses support of Koizumi's cooperation proposalThe two leaders agreed on the proposed economic partnership during summit talks held in Bangkok.
The economic partnership, which could lay the groundwork for a future free-trade area, calls for closer cooperation between Japan and ASEAN in the traditional areas of trade and investment as well as in sectors such as science and technology.
It is a small irony that Koizumi is coming to Thaksin with a fresh proposal on trade; two months ago, Koizumi was taken by surprise when Thaksin, during a visit to Tokyo, suggested the two countries work toward a free-trade pact. At the time, Koizumi avoided giving Thaksin a clear answer to his proposal.
Free trade is a difficult issue for Japan, which is expected to sign its first free-trade agreement with Singapore on Sunday, when Koizumi's Southeast Asia tour brings him to the island-state.
Japan considers the Singapore deal something of an experiment. Tokyo chose Singapore as its first free-trade partner because the tiny nation has virtually no agricultural exports. Japan's farmers are highly protected, a political reality that could stymie further free-trade pacts.
Koizumi has hinted as much, saying that concluding free-trade deals with all countries in the region may be difficult, given the differences between their levels of economic development.
Japan's new emphasis on closer cooperation is seen as a reaction to an agreement China made with ASEAN, also in November, that the parties strive to conclude a free-trade pact within 10 years. Japan fears China's rising influence in the region.
In the meeting with Thaksin, Koizumi was also expected to explain his plan to push ahead with his structural reform; he was also expected to back Thailand's reform efforts, the officials said.
Koizumi arrived in Bangkok earlier in the day on the third leg of his five-nation Southeast Asia tour, which has taken him to the Philippines and Malaysia. The weeklong trip will also take him to Indonesia and Singapore.
In an 80-minute meeting Thursday evening, the two leaders also agreed on the need for Japan to achieve economic recovery, with Koizumi pledging to push structural reforms and Mahathir urging Japan to spearhead regional recovery.
Koizumi also pledged Japan's cooperation in areas such as education and personnel exchanges, according to a Japanese official.
The two leaders agreed that ASEAN, Japan, South Korea and China, -- which have held joint meetings once a year since 1997 -- should boost their cooperation, especially in the face of China's growing economic power.
"We must take note of the changes in the situation regarding China, such as its economic growth and its active involvement in regional cooperation, as well as its inclusion in the World Trade Organization," Koizumi was quoted by a Japanese official as saying. "We face the need for a vision that will create an open and dynamic region dealing with changes."
Mahathir told Koizumi that for ASEAN, China was both an attractive market and a potential competitor in trade, and for that reason they need to boost relations with Tokyo, Beijing and Seoul, according to the official.
Mahathir also noted that unlike the European Union and the North American Free Trade Agreement, East Asia lacks a grouping that represents its nations, and that there is a need for the region to be more close-knit.
"East Asia, in order for it to be able to interact and take advantage of its position, must also be more cohesive and unified in its approaches," Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar quoted Mahathir as saying.
The comments came after Koizumi briefed Mahathir about his proposal to build a comprehensive economic partnership between Japan and ASEAN that could lay the groundwork for the creation of a free-trade area in the future.
The Japan Times: Jan. 12, 2002