Dealing with China might be a comforting prospect for Thailand’s military-dominated government, but Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha must watch his step amid the international gathering of leaders in Beijing.
Prayut attended the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in China this week, where global issues are up for discussion. The Thai leader is rubbing shoulders with his counterparts from the world’s powers, including the United States, China and Japan.
Thailand, and even Asean, are likely playing a minor role amid a summit dominated by the problems facing major powers. Host Beijing is taking the opportunity to promote its economic projects by highlighting its Silk Road projects for trade routes that unite the continent, and its own version of an international free-trade arrangement.
The U.S. is competing with China to maintain its economic opportunities and political power in Asia-Pacific. Washington has for years promoted a comprehensive trade deal known as the Trans Pacific Partnership, but China has declared from time to time that it has no faith in the U.S.-sponsored scheme.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Premier Sinzo Abe have their own agendas for the Apec summit. Moscow has become closer to Beijing in a rebalancing act to counter Western influence, notably over the Ukraine crisis, while Tokyo is attempting to fine-tune the geo-politic balance in the region as it defends its position on disputed territory in the East China Sea.
Prime Minister Prayut also has his agenda at the Apec meet, but is, perhaps, leaning for support on Beijing. He discussed regional economic cooperation in a panel discussion, but the issues were not highlighted. Prayut’s focus during the Apec summit was on a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang to promote bilateral cooperation ― mostly asking China to help solve the Thai government’s domestic problems.
Prayut’s government badly needs China’s support on the proposal for a rail line linking Thailand, Laos and China, as well as the Chinese purchase of Thai farm products, notably rice and rubber. Thai governments in recent years have pushed for the railway project to connect regional logistics. The Thai segment would run between Bangkok and Nong Khai on the border with Laos. But the project has been politicised far too much in past years. The previous government proposed a high-speed rail link but that idea met with strong opposition among those who feared it might create a huge public debt burden and chances for corrupt politicians to line their pockets. The speed of the trains is no longer an issue, but Thailand still needs the rail link, no matter how fast it is. At issue is how to build it without attracting a large external debt burden and corruption among unelected politicians.
An adviser to the junta has proposed that we barter Thai rice and rubber in exchange for Chinese railway-construction expertise. A Thai delegation in Beijing ahead of Prayut’s visit floated the idea, but the result of the meeting between Prayut and Chinese leaders does not suggest strong commitment from Beijing.
Of course for the benefit of good relations, China might be willing to buy farm products from Thailand, but not in huge volume to fund the rail system. Beijing will build it as long as Thailand has enough money or can make the project viable for investors.
All that Prayut got for certain from his attendance at the Apec summit is the diplomatic words of Chinese leaders. That might be good for his political standing back home, but friendly words from Beijing are precisely all that the previous government got and won’t translate into real commitments in the short term.
Meanwhile Thailand will risk its relations with regional neighbours and much of the rest of the international community if it gets too close and too reliant on Beijing.
(Editorial, The Nation)
(Asia News Network)
