From the article of 'Petrel'
No.573 / March 10, 1996

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�šIn the ASEAN initiation

Besides that, the following is included in the declaration, the necessity of political cooperation, reform of the United Nations, valuing World Trade Organization (WTO), and to aim at open regionalism.

Moreover, in order to fix ASEM and to firm the frame of the conference between multiple countries that have been made between Asia and Europe, the head conference decided to hold the second time conferences in Britain in 1998, to hold the third time conferences in South Korea, to hold economic cabinet ministers conferences in Japan in 1997, and to hold the forum for the investment promotion.

First ASEM by 25 countries and 1 organization of Asia and Europe advocated by Singapore and was held by the initiation of ASEAN.

ASEAN had strong tendency of union of "anti-communism" nations aided by United States before.

There is Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) between North America and Asia now. However, ASEAN tries to strengthen the relation to Europe that has been so thin until now by means of holding the head conference with Europe by their leads. ASEM is a head conference between multiple countries except for America. It is the first step by which ASEAN nations draw a line with the United States and start an original walk.

ASEAN nations excluding Thailand were colonies of Europe and America before (Japan also occupied them in the Second World War).

However, they record the economic growth of 7 or 8 % a year on the average and are accomplishing remarkable economic development to be called "Economic center in the world". ASEAN nations need the investment from the foreign country to advance economic development and have great hope for the investment from Europe.

Moreover, ASEAN nations take precautions against the growing of the influence power of the United States though they need military power of the United States for the maintenance of capitalistic order in region. So there is also a meaning of restraining the United States in the cooperation with Europe.

�šAcceleration in Asia advancement of the European capital

On the other hand, EU nations try to advance to the east Asian nations where economic growth is remarkable, and where exists huge market with ASEM as a turning point. For instance, president of France Chirac says, "The market share in Asia will be made threefold in 10 years in the future."

For EU nations, Asia is an important export market (in 1994, export to North America is 120 hundred million dollars, and export to the 10 countries participating in ASEM is 99 hundred million dollars) that equals North America.

In the conference at this time, it was expressed to reinforce economic cooperation, such as expansion of the investment between Asia and Europe, and cooperation was pushed out to all aspects. However, the confrontation of Asia and EU appeared on the other side of cooperation. Though EU nations try to make inroads into the market of the east Asian nations, they try to control the export competition power of the east Asian nations. The EU side assumes that the "Load of a social cost" is the problem. On the World Trade Organization (WTO), EU and United States had taken up child work, long time work, low wage, restriction for labor union in Asian nations, and they have demanded the correction because the low degree of work condition had disturbed "fair competition". On the other hand, ASEAN nations have repulsed them because a one-sided standard of the advanced country is pressed without considering the condition of Asia. It was left as a problem in the future though the aboveboard discussion was evaded because of the priority of the establishment of cooperation in the conference at this time. Moreover, the EU side aimed at as wide average liberalization as advanced country and proposed the negotiation about the liberalization of investment on the board of the World Trade Organization. On the other hand, ASEAN side opposed that, saying they want to make shape advancing original liberalization along independent action plan of each country.

Vice premier Amnuay in Thailand talked, "Each country of Asia is not to abolish the limitation to the investor of Europe completely for about 20 years in the future" and Foreign Minister Alatas in Indonesia also described, "In the agreement of the investment between multiple countries which European committee insists, freedom on the side where the investment is received is not secured."

ASEAN nations are strongly opposing the investment liberalization of an average advanced country, because they dread economic rule of the advanced countries.

In consideration of the United States, the European side shelves the confrontation point at this time and gives priority on the inauguration of ASEM. EU stands up to the United States being expanding the capital and the commodity export to the east Asian region through APEC.

For EU ASEM is a splendid chance of the influence power expansion to Asia.

As to say "In the future ten years, Asia needs investment of 130 or 150 thousand million dollars only in infrastructure every year"(Alatas Foreign Minister), to fall behind in Asian market may be to drop out from international competition.

The European capital has already been moving actively in Asia that has developed into a large market. In France the government in union with the private sector is working on at the target of Asian market.

In 1995, the France consumption trade fair was held in Shanghai as part of "Initiative of France which turned to Asia" that was the Asia advancement campaign. Moreover, "High-tech trade fair" was opened at three places, Taipei, KuaraLunpure, and Seoul.

"France-Singapore business conference" was set up as an activity base of the enterprise of France in Singapore.

France tries to advance the investment and the trade expansion between both nations based on this and is starting the investment in the third country by the tie-up of both nations' enterprises. The bank is advancing by using the connection of the old suzerain in Vietnam.

In Thailand as well, Thomson (television) and Michelin (tire) expand production and the Yujinohru Sashirohru group of the steel capital advances to the production of stainless steels jointing with New Japan Steel Corporation, etc.

Germany also expanded the investment for Asia in the ratio of two or three folds to the previous year in 1994. Malaysia (the ratio of 3.2 fold to the previous year), China (similarly 2.9 times), Singapore (similarly 4.6 times) and so on are rapidly extending the investment.

Especially the investment in China is active, and when the national president Jiang Zemin visited Germany last year, they concluded the agreements of the investment of 4,300 million marks in total.

Moreover, Germany is establishing "Industrial trade center" in Singapore last year. Besides this, Britain also increased rapidly the investment for Asia in 1992 to the ratio of 2.5 times to the previous year and similarly of 1.9 times with 1,760 million pounds in 1993. The chairperson of the Standard Charter Bank that advances to Thailand talked, "Britain is in the predicament to hold low growth and a high unemployment rate.t is only a part of region of the nations to keep 8% ratio of growth in the world". That shows how the expectation for Asia of the European capital is great.

�šReinforcement of the base of worker's fight

Though United States is superficially calm about ASEM, it might not be calm secretly.

The participation country of an Asian side of ASEM is 10 countries, such as ASEAN of 7 countries, China, and south Korea. ThThis is the same member as East Asia Economic Caucus (EAEC) which Mahathir proposed and the United States is opposing to as "One to divide the Pacific Ocean in two." EAEC is only located as a calm conference body in APEC because of American strong opposition.

Nevertheless United States is irritated nervously, because EAEC begins to move virtually

in time of ASEM. It is the reason that the United States has been contended with Japan and Europe for capital advancement to Asia, and the decrease in the influence power is not avoidable by the advancement to east Asia of Europe. ASEAN nations that have accomplished economic development economically connecting with the United States and Japan by introducing of capital and technology from them and by exporting industrial products to the United States, are aiming at a further capitalistic development by connecting economic cooperation with Europe too. Capitalistic development of east Asia is forming the worker class and inventing the base of the fight.

This is historically big advancement.

The increase of the economic dependence of Asia and the advanced countries and an international intertwining of capital will put the worker's exchange across border and must bring the development of their international solidarity and class struggle.

(Kiitiro Taguti)