US announces contribution of 16 billion yen to five countries in the Mekong River basin China restraint September 15, 8:50
The U.S. government has announced plans to contribute approximately 16 billion yen in Japanese yen to countries in the Mekong River basin in Southeast Asia to support economic recovery from the new coronavirus, and will restrain China, which is becoming more influential in the region. It seems that there is an aim.
The United States held the first ministerial-level meeting of the "Mekong-America Partnership," a new cooperation framework consisting of five countries including Vietnam and Thailand in the Mekong River basin in Southeast Asia, online on the 11th of this month.
The U.S. Department of State issued a statement on the 14th about this conference, and the United States has over $ 150 million in projects such as economic recovery support from the new coronavirus and cooperation for the development of the power network in the Mekong River basin, Japan. It has announced that it has announced plans to contribute approximately 16 billion yen in yen.
In a statement, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, "Relationships with the Mekong countries are essential to America's Indo-Pacific strategy," and said it would strengthen ties with basin countries.
In the Mekong River basin, China has invested a lot of infrastructure so far, and if China succeeds in developing a vaccine for the new coronavirus last month, it will give priority to the basin countries. I am strengthening.
As the confrontation with China deepens over the issue of the South China Sea, the United States seems to be aiming to restrain China by strengthening its involvement in the Mekong River basin and to attract each country.