South East Asia is one of those regions which
are proving to be notable for their economic robustness and it only stands to
reason that Sri Lanka should boost its links with this region of great material
promise. Over the past few days President Mahinda Rajapaksa has been
underscoring the importance of Thailand, for instance, by interacting closely
with Thai leaders.
Around
the same time the Singaporean Foreign Minister was here and his talks with his
Lankan counterpart Professor G.L. Peiris proved most productive. Sri Lanka's
business, investment and commercial links with these countries were further
consolidated and the stage set for mutually-beneficial relations in the future
too.
The
ASEAN region was not so long ago characterized as containing 'Miracle
Economies' and Thailand and Singapore are part of this dynamic grouping which
has helped in refashioning the global economic balance in Asia's favour. Thus,
it would be very far-seeing of a country in the Asian region to forge close
economic links in particular with these robust economies of South East Asia
which are seen as 'Miracles' of economic productivity.
Along
with China, the world's second most powerful economy, ASEAN has helped craft a
new world order where the voices of Asia and the developing world would be
heard more distinctly. This shift in power could be expected to be only more
pronounced with the Eurozone crisis sounding the death knell of Western
economic power. Thus, it is only advisable that Sri Lanka integrates itself
more closely with the dynamically growing economies of East and South East
Asia.
The
Asian region is yet to evolve a single, overarching organization which could
help in projecting its collective economic and political power, but there is a
great need for the countries of the more productive regions of Asia to come
together for the purpose of more concertedly counter-balancing the general
political clout of the West. The need for a restructured world political order
on these lines was brought home to us when Sri Lanka was unconscionably
victimized by the major powers of the West in the March UNHRC sessions.
Some
notable powers of Asia stood by Sri Lanka in that crisis and it is quite
apparent that the victimization of the developing world would continue if the
global power balance is not shifted decisively in favour of the developing
world and Asia. A projection of collective Asian power could bring about this
badly needed restructuring of the global power system.
A
drastic revival of the Non-aligned Movement could help greatly in this
connection. The rationale underlying NAM helped in winning on to the side of
the developing world the support of those countries which were yearning for a
just international political order, decades ago, and we believe that the
aforementioned cry for justice is still being raised by the world's oppressed
but is continuing to go largely unanswered. Accordingly, there needs to be a
coming together of hearts and minds among the countries of the developing world
and the time is now to ensure the projection of such a collective political
will when the world economic balance has shifted in East Asia's favour.
It is
for these reasons that Sri Lanka is doing right by interacting more closely
with those major economic powers of Asia. Besides strengthening bonds of
friendship with these countries, Sri Lanka stands to gain economically and
materially by doing so. China is one of those robust investors who are being
welcomed to our shores and very rightly too. Besides China's major investments
in the infrastructure field, it should not be forgotten that she is a number
one electronics giant. Therefore, forging business and investment ties with
China is perfectly in order.
Besides
these considerations, Asia's vibrant economies need to stand together because
they are home to some of the world's most sought-after resources, many of them
of a strategic nature.
This
resource base must be protected and it is only a mustering of collective power
which could ensure it.
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