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As Asians Offer Much Aid, Chinese Role Is Limited
By Anthony Faiola and Philip P. Pan
Washington Post Foreign Service
Wednesday, January 5, 2005; Page A10
TOKYO, Jan. 4 -- Several Asian countries, led by Japan, have responded swiftly to the plight of their stricken neighbors, generating a major share of global relief aid and mobilizing as never before to help the region cope with a natural catastrophe.
But the response has also underscored the limitations of China -- a fast-growing economic powerhouse that nevertheless has not been able to offer anywhere near the amount of aid provided by Japan, the United States or Britain.
China is viewed by many experts as heir to the financial and political influence in South Asia now enjoyed by Japan and the United States. It has actively cultivated relations with South Asian countries in recent years and has mustered one of its largest foreign disaster assistance packages ever.
But the $64 million offered by Beijing has been dwarfed by the massive pledge of $500 million from Japan, the largest donor to the relief effort. Moreover, China is ill-equipped to launch major rescue operations. It has deployed only several dozen medical personnel to the disaster zone, while the United States has sent 13,000 troops to help.
The contrast is a reminder of the ways in which China is still significantly restricted in its capabilities. Its booming economy has led to greater influence, as smaller nations seek trade and investment. But China remains poor, with low average incomes and a relatively weak military.
While China has achieved a great deal, analysts said, the aftermath of the tsunami has provided stark evidence of how much further it must go before it can hope to challenge the economic prowess of Japan or the regional military dominance of the United States.
"China has played a greater role in promoting [Asian] economic integration, but Japan's role in providing foreign aid is unmistakable," said Zhu Feng, director of an international security program at Beijing University.
In addition to Japan and China, South Korea and Taiwan have each pledged $50 million. Singapore has pledged more than $3 million.
At an emergency summit Thursday in Jakarta about the disaster, the highest-ranking delegates will come from Asian nations. Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi of Japan, Premier Wen Jiabao of China and Prime Minister Lee Hai Chan of South Korea are expected. The United States will be represented by Secretary of State Colin L. Powell.
Asian nations -- in part because of their proximity to the disaster zone -- were the first to provide logistical and emergency help. Hours after the tsunami struck, Malaysia and Singapore were scrambling to deploy search-and-rescue teams to Indonesia.
India, among the countries slammed by the waves, quickly sent naval vessels, helicopters and other aircraft to Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Japan quickly dispatched medical teams and emergency supplies to crippled parts of South Asia.
Analysts said the two main Asian powers, Japan and China, were also viewing tsunami relief partially as a tool in vying for regional clout in South Asia. The $64 million pledged by China could represent half of its foreign aid budget.
Analysts said the pledge highlighted the importance Beijing attaches to improving relations with countries in Southeast Asia. The tsunami devastated parts of the Southeast Asian countries of Thailand and Indonesia in addition to damaging South Asian countries such as India and Sri Lanka.
"The goal is to enhance their trust in China," said Zhang Xizhen, a scholar who studies the politics and economies of Southeast Asia at Beijing University. "During the Cold War . . . their attitudes toward China were suspicious and distrustful. Even now, there are many conflicts. . . . But China is trying hard to change these attitudes. The tsunami aid shows the emerging influence of China in Southeast Asia."
Japan, meanwhile, increased its offer of aid Jan. 1 from $30 million to "a minimum" of $500 million, a figure that China could not hope to match.
Analysts said there was much more than philanthropic superiority at stake. For one thing, there could be significant windfalls from the billions of dollars worth of contracts expected to come from affected nations as they begin reconstruction.
"Japan is afraid of losing influence and business in that region to China," said Masaaki Okamoto of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at Japan's Kyoto University. "Giving aid is one way to ensure Japan's continued dominant role in South Asia."
Pan reported from Beijing.
© 2005 The Washington Post Company
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