Joint Statement by the Japanese and US Governments on Accelerating Infrastructure Development in the Mekong River Basin September 9 12:19
Before the series of foreign ministers' meetings of the ASEAN = Southeast Asian Nations, a joint statement was announced between the two governments to strengthen cooperation with the countries concerned in order to accelerate the development of infrastructure such as the electricity network in the Mekong River basin. With the announcement, it seems that there is a goal to restrain China, which has increased its influence in the region.
A series of ASEAN foreign ministers' meetings are held in the form of video conferences, which are attended by Japanese Foreign Minister Mogi Mogi and US Secretary of State Pompeio.
Prior to this, the Japanese and US governments jointly issued a ministerial statement on August 8 regarding infrastructure development in the Mekong River basin, the longest river in Southeast Asia.
Among them, in the five countries of the Mekong River basin, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar, the demand for electricity is rapidly increasing due to economic growth, and it is pointed out that the improvement of the electricity network is an urgent issue.
In addition, in order to accelerate infrastructure development, we will strengthen cooperation with related countries and local electric power companies, and promote technical support.
In the Mekong basin, China has made a large amount of infrastructure investment so far, and if China succeeded in developing a vaccine for the new coronavirus last month, it will show priority to provide it to the basin country, etc. I am strengthening my strength.
As the United States deepens its conflict with China over the problem of the South China Sea, it aims to restrain China and capture each country by showing a stance to work with Japan to put effort into infrastructure development in the Mekong River basin. It seems that.