corliss online financial mag: japan, australia may join china-led bank
TRANSCRIPT
Corliss Online Financial Mag: Japan, Australia May Join China-Led Bank
Japan signaled that it could join the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
(AIIB) after all if certain conditions were met satisfactorily.
This is despite the United States already expressing concerns regarding AIIB
and its capability to pass social and environmental standards and China's
already growing diplomatic influence in the region. Still, about 30 nations,
including major EU members, participated in this economic project.
Now, even the notable allies of the US -- South Korea, Australia and Japan --
are reportedly reconsidering.
Japan's Finance Minister Taro Aso announced that they are considering
joining the AIIB if they can confirm that it has a "credible mechanism for
providing loans". However, other Japanese senior officials remain doubtful if
participating in a China-led bank could be truly advantageous.
"We have been asking to ensure debt sustainability taking into account its
impact on environment and society. We could (consider) if these issues are
guaranteed. We'll give it careful consideration from diplomatic and economics
viewpoints. There could be a chance that we would go inside and discuss. But
so far we have not heard any responses," commented Aso.
AIIB is also seen as a competitor of ADB (Asian Development Bank) which is a
regional financial institution based in the Philippines. It is basically dominated
by the US and Japan, with its leader customarily coming from the latter's
finance ministry or the Bank of Japan.
The former president of ADB and current BOJ Governor Haruhiko Kuroda
cautiously said, "There are huge needs, demands for infrastructure investment
in Asia. On the other hand, the World Bank and ADB have been helping
countries in Asia to improve infrastructure for the last 50 years."
Despite being a China-led financial institution that the US is warning against,
AIIB got Tokyo concerned of missing out on opportunity for more regional
participation, reports Corliss Online Financial Mag.
Meanwhile, Australia's Treasurer Joe Hockey said participating in AIIB has the
potential to benefit local companies and should not adversely affect their
relationship with the US. At any rate, he added that a final decision has yet to
be made, although Corliss Online Financial Mag got reports that Australia
could decide to formally join this week with as much as USD 2.3 billion in
investment.
"There is a lot of merit in it, but we want to make sure there are proper
governance procedures. That there's transparency, that no one country is able
to control the entity. And because it's operating in our region, in our
neighbourhood, it is important that Australia fully understand and look at
participating in this Bank," said Hockey.
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