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Re: FOR COMMENT - Myanmar's opening: A careful balancing act

Released on 2012-10-11 16:00 GMT

Email-ID 199205
Date 2011-12-01 21:55:44
like Anthony said, it's clear you've done your research, but there's a lot
of information here that doesn't relate to the development of your point
(particularly at the beginning). Also, going switching geopolitical angles
within a paragraph, explaining the interests from a certain country's POV
in one sentence then anothers in the next, can make it hard to follow so
be aware of that. There are some awesome points in this piece it just
needs to be trimmed down a bit so those can shine!

On 12/1/11 2:06 PM, Jose Mora wrote:

After taking office President Obama announced a policy of reengagement
with Asia and implemented a dual-track approach, talks combined with
sanctions, to Myanmar. This policy hadn't received much of a response in
Myanmar until last year's elections which represented an advanced step
in the State Peace and Development Council's (SPDC) "roadmap to
democracy" and brought to power a nominally civilian government that has
engaged in seemingly reformist policies. (<- I question this entire
statement, but have a limited familiarity with recent stuff going on
there. Convince me all those things weren't just political bullshit)
Since then, the new government has taken a different policy stand from
its predecessors, taking moves that the West had demanded for years,
such as the release of political prisoners including Suu Kyi, easing
media restrictions and granting its citizenry a degree of democracy.

The steps taken so far have been carefully calculated moves, designed by
Myanmar's leaders to strengthen their leadership position. They seek to
bolster their legitimacy to who? where did they get their legitimacy
from? are they trying to bolster legitimacy or just their own
power/security by bringing in foreign investment, improving relations
with the west and balancing Chinese influence and especially by
promoting internal cohesion. In order to accomplish the latter they
have made peace overtures to ethnic rebels and also integrated Suu Kyi
into the political process, hoping to prevent her from being a rallying
figure for dissidents demanding sanctions on the regime and inducing her
to play the political game by Naypyidaw's rules.

As gradual and piecemeal as these measures may be, they have been
welcomed in Washington since they provide an opportunity to legitimately
broaden contacts with Naypyidaw, lure it away from its close
relationship with China and complicate Beijing's strategic game by
bringing Western influence, and capital, into this important Chinese

As the latest U.S. move, Secretary of State Hilary Clinton is on a
three-day visit to Myanmar, from November 30 to December 2, making her
the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit the country since Secretary
of State John Foster Dulles did in 1955. President Obama announced the
visit during the ASEAN and EA summits in mid-November, and this move not
only marks a significant step towards rapprochement with Myanmar, but
also signals Washington's willingness to deal with ASEAN as a
multilateral mechanism for its broader reengagement campaign in the
broader Asia-Pacific region.

The stated purpose of Clinton's visit is to gauge the intentions of
geopolitical perspective this visit is also important since it marks a
new step in Obama's diplomatic campaign to reengage the U.S. in the
Asia-Pacific theater. (<- I think you should get to this point more
quickly) A visit by such a senior diplomat as Clinton signals a window
of opportunity to start relations with a regime that not only has been
but also is a natural-resource-rich country lying in a very important
strategic position bordering India, China and the Indian Ocean. Clinton
will also try to prod the regime away from its military and nuclear
cooperation with North Korea and to bring more transparency to that
bilateral relationship. This move could score the U.S. important
diplomatic points as this would signal progress from the part of the
regime and also would increase North Korea's international isolation,
showcasing the effects of more active U.S. involvement in the region.
Moreover, Myanmar is a member of ASEAN, a politico-economic grouping of
nations that Washington has made an important pivot of its Asia
strategy, and has been slated to hold the chair of that organization in
2014 in reward for its reformist drive.

Though this visit holds the potential to generate significant diplomatic
dividends for the U.S. in Asia, the importance to China of Myanmar
cannot be overstated, and it is certain that China is be paying close
attention to these developments. Myanmar sits on a strategically
important corridor that connects the province of Yunnan to the Indian
Ocean where China is working on two pipelines, one for crude, with a
capacity of 22 million tons/year (approx. 4.8% of total current
consumption), and another for natural gas, 12 billion cubic meters/year
(approx. 9% of total current consumption), therefore making a
rapprochement with the West a move that puts China's energy strategy in
check. good point. Myanmar also possesses energy sources of its own,
mineral and hydrological, as well as a plethora of other natural
resources. China has sought to develop some of these industries,
especially the Myitsone dam which would add to China's constrained
energy markets. Further, Myanmar's perennial troubles with its ethnic
minorities pose a threat to the stability of the southwestern province
of Yunnan.

international support in the middle of international isolation while
getting in return cooperation in the development of strategic
infrastructure assets and a sphere where to pursue its geostrategic
interests without U.S. competition. Nevertheless, Naypyidaw has realized
the need to balance China's growing influence in the region, especially
as China has influence over rebel ethnic groups that continue to create
instability. I think this is the paragraph where you're trying to make
the point in your conclusion that "Myanmar is on a campaign to break out
of its international isolation and dependence on China" but you need to
develop it more. You've written more about China's dependence on Myanmar
more than you have the Myanmar's dependence on China which is a key
point leading up to their talks with the US.

During 2011 Naypyidaw has taken [carefully]<-redundant calculated steps
designed to put some distance between them and Beijing, like cancelling
the controversial Myitsone dam, signaling to the international community
their willingness to engage in reform and to do business, while at the
same time making sure that Beijing doesn't feel overly slighted. The
recent visit by General Min Aung Hlaing to Beijing just two days prior
to Clinton's visit to Myanmar and the signing of a defense cooperation
agreement are telling signs of the careful diplomatic game that
Naypyidaw is playing.

dependence on China and open the gates to gradual integration with the
global economy. While it needs the inflow of foreign business and an
increase in its legitimacy again, to whom? ... what would make them
"legitimate"? who do they need to impress? and why do they even need to
be legitimate if they're already in power? maybe their doing things
things because they feel that their positions of power are insecure.,
Naypyidaw is taking a measured approach to opening in order to secure
its grip on power. Sitting next to both India and China, as well as to
ASEAN, it needs to make a careful job of balancing the several powers
with an interest in the country, particularly Beijing. Still, if its
strategy pays off Naypyidaw could benefit in many ways, since it could
embark in a project of directed modernization akin to that of China,
gradually brining in business and capital, bolstering its international
and domestic legitimacy while enriching the elites. You probably don't
need to address this here, but if successful coudl they even become an
economic thorn in the side to China? Also, a normalization of relations
with the West would help the regime allay fears of American hostility,
while improving its bargaining position viz a viz China. Though Beijing
has reasons to be concerned, as Myanmar's opening threatens its
privileged position within the country and adds to the notion that the
U.S. is encircling China, Myanmar has an interest in continuing
relations with China, not only for investment and security reasons, but
to also hedge against excessive American influence/pressure.

Jose Mora
221 W. 6th Street, Suite 400
Austin, TX 78701
M: +1 512 701 5832