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China-Japan-Koreas
Japan Seeks Partnership with India as China Looms
2005-04-29
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi wooed India on Friday, aiming to build a partnership with New Delhi to cope with the growing clout of China in a changing continent. "The world's attention is fixed on India's breathtaking progress," Koizumi told business leaders, ahead of talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
His three-day trip to India, the first by a Japanese prime minister in five years, comes only weeks after a landmark visit by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and is part of Tokyo's "strategic diplomacy" to compete with Beijing. India's own growing economic and geo-political clout is not lost on Tokyo which, over the past few weeks, has been trying to cope with anti-Japanese sentiments in China. "Japan and India need each other as strong and prospering countries. Japan and India share strategic interests," Koizumi said.
Koizumi and Singh were due to sign a document to strengthen bilateral ties and increase cooperation in their bids to win permanent seats on the U.N. Security Council. "Japan is now becoming cognisant of India's strategic profile in the coming 10-to-15 years and wants to build a foundation for long-term strategic ties," said Uday Bhaskar, director of the New Delhi-based Institute of Defense Studies and Analyzes.
Tokyo and New Delhi are also trying to improve trade ties hurt when India conducted nuclear tests in 1998, prompting sanctions from Japan. India-Japan trade was $4.35 billion in the year ending March 2004, about one third of New Delhi's two-way trade of more than $13-billion with China. "Countries like South Korea, China and the United States have recognized the intrinsic strength of the Indian economy...and have made significant investments in India," Indian Commerce Minister Kamal Nath said. "Japan, on the other hand, has remained somewhat hesitant."
Japan lifted its sanctions on India in October 2001 in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States and Tokyo has gradually turned its attention to India in recent years. Koizumi will also travel to Pakistan where he is likely to announce Tokyo's decision to resume yen loans to Pakistan, suspended after its nuclear tests in 1998, Japanese officials said.
Posted by:Steve

#12   Brer Rabbit,
The Mainland Chinese leaders WANT Taiwan back. First,they really believe all Chines and Chinese territory should be united. Second,the existance of a prosperous,free Taiwan offers a successful competing vision of China that cannot be tolerated. Third,all the Western reasons-hostile "unsinkable aircraft carrier",need to distract unhappy people,gain the econmic resources of Taiwan,eliminate an economic competitor,wanting to dominate Western Pacific,etc.-all may play a part,but for the Cinese,it's reasons 1 and 2 that really matter.
Posted by: Stephen   2005-04-29 10:32:24 PM  

#11  well, at least the forces are associating to stop a Clancyesque Chinese breakout for raw materials...
Posted by: Frank G   2005-04-29 10:01:56 PM  

#10  Badanov: I'm digesting your concept - (sayeth Ratburt) its making my head hurt. My belief is China needs "stuff" not more people. Eastern Russia has "stuff", Taiwan has only technology and workers, not resources. I think the rhetoric we hear is a faint. Whereas, we will come to the aid of India/Taiwan/Japan, Russia will consider it too much a loss of face to ask for our help. Big war.
Posted by: BrerRabbit   2005-04-29 9:47:56 PM  

#9  Brer Rabbit>

US is the nose tackle, Japan is a blitzing cornerback. ;o)
Posted by: badanov   2005-04-29 9:05:05 PM  

#8  I see the defensive line forming up composed of India/Taiwan/Japan with the US as a blitzing linebacker. Russia should be worried.
Posted by: BrerRabbit   2005-04-29 8:22:27 PM  

#7  When you think about the belligerent China foreign policy, name one place their asshole attitude has made long-term sense? Lunatics looking for face, when they could be a legit world power....communists still don't get it, that's a good thing. Now, Japan, how about that missile defense and rearmament...nukes yet?
Posted by: Frank G   2005-04-29 7:03:21 PM  

#6  From the Hindustan Times

Japan will build a $5-billion east-west rail corridor between Delhi and Mumbai and Delhi and Howrah in its latest effort to promote India’s infrastructure. The corridor will allow multi-modal, high-axle load freight trains, with a fully-computerised traffic control system, to run from one end of the country to the other.
Posted by: john   2005-04-29 6:36:33 PM  

#5  You haven't seen Loomin
Till you seen Nippon blooming
The Chrysanthemum sez it best.
Posted by: Shipman   2005-04-29 5:52:04 PM  

#4   I think it was last yr that there was long story of how China was going to build a superhighway from China thru the "Stans" and the steppes,and it was to be financed by the Japanese. Wonder how the project is doing now?
Posted by: Stephen   2005-04-29 3:47:52 PM  

#3  Japan has heavily invested in China, now China is acting up and Japan is making it clear that China isn't the only player able to provide highly skilled, highly educated, very cheap workers.

I hope it's not just a bluff though because I've long thought US companies should do the same thing with all of China's threats and bluster.
Posted by: rjschwarz   2005-04-29 3:02:16 PM  

#2  India: belle of the 21st century ball. Nice position to be in.
Posted by: thibaud (aka lex)   2005-04-29 2:04:51 PM  

#1  I think we can all give a hearty and humble thanks that the Chinese have an astoundingly incompetant foreign service, and have never cared what foreigners think.
Posted by: Anonymoose   2005-04-29 10:56:43 AM  

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