'China will not dominate pan-Asian forum'

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, MAY 26. Though the newly founded Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) is housed in China, Beijing will not play the ``big brother'' in this pan-Asian organisation that seeks to present an Asian voice to the world in economic matters.

``China will not set the agenda for us,'' the BFA secretary- general, Dr. Ajit Singh, asserted here on Saturday while talking to The Hindu at the end of his three-day visit to the country in search of members for the forum. ``The idea of such a forum was first mooted by the former Philippines President, Mr. Fidel Ramos, and the former Prime Ministers of Australia and Japan, Mr. Robert Hawke and Mr. Nakasone Yasuhiro respectively.''

``The Chinese have only supported this pan-Asian effort by providing BFA a permanent home and the funds to set up a secretariat. No other country would have been able to do that,'' Dr. Singh said, reiterating that China would not dominate this organisation that took shape this February with representation from 26 countries.

``This being a people's effort aimed at forging economic ties, the membership is not from countries but companies.'' And it was in search of companies that Dr. Singh held meetings with the FICCI and CII during his stay here. He met the former Prime Minister, Mr. I.K. Gujral, to apprise him of the progress made by the BFA since its last meeting in February.

Though Dr. Singh explained the necessity for a pan-Asian organisation by stating that Europe has a European Union and America, the Organisation of American States, he was quick to clarify that the BFA was not a governmental organisation and did not harbour aspirations of competing with any international organisation.

``Since there is no effective channel which the private sector in different Asian countries could use as a vehicle to network with each other, a need was felt to provide a meeting ground to develop Asian perspectives on issues pertaining to our continent. There is a general opinion that time has come for Asian countries to shed the distrust - mainly a legacy of colonialism - and establish trading links, the larger goal being economic integration of the continent.''

Such being the case, will the BFA lobby for lifting of border restrictions and allow free traffic of personnel and material? ``We have not given ourselves that mandate. Our effort is only to assist the ongoing effort at building an Asian solidarity on issues that affect the continent,'' said Dr. Singh.

Dr. Singh underlined the benefits of having China in the BFA. ``As a large, influential country enjoying rapid economic development, China is one of the biggest markets in the world. It has increasingly closer trade and investment relations with other countries and regions. Through the forum, other Asian countries will be able to understand the Chinese economy better.''

On whether the BFA would keep its doors closed to the other continents, Dr. Singh answered in the negative. ``We are open to membership from every continent. We cannot afford to live in isolation in an era of globalisation. Further, our attempt is to find an Asian response to the world. And an effective response could be worked out on various issues only if channels of communication with the rest of the world are kept open.''

But when asked whether opening the BFA to non-Asian companies would not result in American and European giants hijacking the forum and setting its agenda to their advantage, he said: ``No, because we will be in the driver's seat.''

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