Friday, October 14, 2011

Where are we looking?


IT's always truth that coastal cities are most developed cities in any given country. Look history, also the same since we can find world's ancient cities are situated on the banks of their rivers or next to the sea if any. It's obvious that coastal cities have advantage from the easy access of trading with their counterparts from other countries in macro or cities in micro. Thus, it's undeniable that coastal region become first and most developed zone once a country starts its developing process. After that, the attention of governments would be shifted to less developed regions which are most likely to be landlord area.

In view of above, China has transformed its coastal cities to world class metropolitan cities such as Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Macau, etc. Now, World's second biggest economy has changed its focus on inward land provinces which are left far behind. So China began to change policies to pull their less developing provinces from western part. Since its western provinces are bordered with Myanmar & India, they have been land lock area and less developing. So China's now famous policy is "Look West" in which China is trying to give its aforesaid provinces access to ocean via neighbour Myanmar. They see us transit nation to get their dream come true and now we are witnessing several projects such as deep port, natural gas pipeline and rail net work, etc. These all are China's afford to unlock its inward land provinces with the expense of Myanmar.

On the other hand, India government has similar policy with China. What they said is "Look East policy". It's the attempt of India government in making its land lock province getting access to sea of Myanmar. Now we all are witnessing the development of sea port at Sittway township by India investment. Again, India is trying to improve their province at the expense of Myanmar. May be Myanmar can gain some development in trade and get commission from transit trade done by those two Asia giants. Our leaders should have review all existing and incoming agreements whether they will bring in much needed technologies as well as jobs.

Since our nation is located geopolitically well in the world map, world's super powers are starring at us with huge interest. No other nation is more promising than Myanmar within ASEAN. In this circumstance, our leaders may have variety of choice in partnering new nations in the wake of some political openness. It's not necessarily need to deal just only China, India & Thailand today. We are swiftly becoming recognized nation by world society and plenty of MNCs are already making the survey on potential trading and investment. No past time has been better than current one. So I want to urge our leaders to make fruitful decision that favor our people's interest when they are being approached by several developed nations. If China is looking west & India is looking east with the interest of their own people, there is no reason to make our policy to generate our people's benefit. Perhaps our policy would be "Looking Up".

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