Taiwan,
Norway seek to join China-backed AIIB, Japan still cautious
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[March 31, 2015]
TOKYO/TAIPEI (Reuters) - Japan
remains cautious about signing up to the China-led Asian Infrastructure
Investment Bank (AIIB), indicating that Tokyo will miss the March 31
deadline for application, but both Taiwan and Norway said they would
seek to join the institution.
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Finance Minister Taro Aso reiterated Japan's concerns about
governance at the AIIB, its debt sustainability and environmental
and social safeguards.
"Unless these conditions are secured, Japan has no choice but to be
very cautious about joining," Aso told reporters after a cabinet
meeting.
Taiwan sought to join the proposed development bank despite
historical animosity and a lack of formal diplomatic relations
between the island and China.
In a statement released late on Monday, Taiwan presidential office
spokesman Charles Chen said joining the AIIB will help Taiwan in its
efforts at regional economic integration and raise the possibility
of joining other multinational bodies.
It was not immediately known whether Beijing would accept Taiwan's
application to join the AIIB.
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Asked about Taiwan's application, Chinese foreign ministry
spokeswoman Hua Chunying said: "Our principle has not changed, and
that is that it will be an open, inclusive and multilateral
organization which we welcome all sides to join.
"But for Taiwan's application to join, it should abide by the
relevant principles, which is to avoid the problem appearing of 'two
Chinas' or 'one China, one Taiwan'."
China views Taiwan as a renegade province and has not ruled out the
use of force to bring it under its control. However, since Taiwan's
current president Ma Ying-jeou took office in 2008, enmity has
declined considerably and the two sides have signed a number of
trade and investment deals.
Most countries, including the United States, do not recognize Taiwan
due to pressure from China. Taiwan is not a member of the United
Nations, the World Bank or the International Monetary Fund.
The AIIB is seen as a significant setback to U.S. efforts to extend
its influence in the Asia-Pacific region and balance China's growing
financial clout and assertiveness.
China has set a March 31 deadline to become a founding member of the
AIIB and over 40 nations have joined or said they intend to, adding
clout to an institution seen as enhancing Beijing's regional and
global influence.
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Norway also said it wanted to join as a prospective founder member.
"Norway is a substantial contributor to global development efforts,
and wishes to join countries from Asia and other parts of the world
in further refining the structure and mission of the AIIB," Foreign
Minister Boerge Brende said in a statement on a government website.
China's finance ministry said that Kyrgyzstan had applied to become
a member too.
Japan and the United States are the two notable absentees.
The AIIB is seen as a challenge to the World Bank and Asian
Development Bank and has drawn a cool response from the United
States, although many of Washington's allies, including Australia,
South Korea, Britain, France, Germany and Italy, have announced they
would join the bank.
(Reporting by Tetsushi Kajimoto in TOKYO, Jeanny Kao and Michael
Gold in TAIPEI, Ben Blanchard and Sui-Lee Wee in BEIJING; Editing by
Raju Gopalakrishnan)
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