INFOCUS | LOOK EAST | REPORT
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Kolkata Kunming The time is right for some constructive action and not just annual summits. Shastri Ramachandaran
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he Forum of Bangladesh, China, India and Myanmar (BCIM) reaffirmed its resolve to unflaggingly pursue enhanced cooperation with particular focus on regional connectivity. The resolve was evident in presentations made at the Forum’s 9th meeting in Kunming from January 17-19. The two-day meeting was marked
by a realistic assessment of the progress achieved so far in regional economic cooperation and a forthright setting out of objectives for both the near future and the long term. In their joint statement released at the conclusion of the Forum’s proceedings, leaders of the four delegations resolved to focus on improved regional connectivity and hasten the establishment of the Kunming-Mandalay-Dhaka-Kolkata economic corridor. The Forum declared support for
the setting up of a business council, comprising representatives of the four countries, which would hold periodic exchanges and meetings for intensified cross-border trade and business. At the Kunming session, the Forum of Bangladesh, China, India and Myanmar on Regional Economic Cooperation was renamed as “Bangladesh China India and Myanmar Regional Cooperation Forum.” The change of nomenclature, however, is not such as to make it more catchy or enable easier
recall – it remains long-winded and is yet to assume an abbreviated form that resonates like SAARC or ASEAN. Such a branding exercise is important for the Forum to acquire more visibility and greater currency in the four countries, as the label is important for the vehicle to be attractive. Apart from this minor word-play failing to click, at its 9th round, the BCIM Forum – launched in 1999 as the Kunming Initiative – agreed to work on a multi-track process. In fact, the theme of the 9th Forum was Multi-track Approach, given the indispensability of Track I (involving governments) for coordination and the importance of Track II consisting of civil society institutions, the private sector and NGOs. Yunnan Province Governor Qin Guangrong in his welcome address reviewed the record of progress so far highlighting some of the remarkable achievements. He pointed to the enhanced trade and commercial
cooperation, cultural exchanges, series of documents and memoranda signed by the four parties, the setting up of a coordinating office in Kunming in 2005, the Kolkata2Kunming mechanism, increasing interactions between the four governments, scholars, enterprises, and more people-to-people processes as notable outcomes. Trade among the four parties has grown rapidly – at an annual rate of 25 per cent, which is 3.5 times of what it was five years ago. Looking ahead, Mr Qin said that strategic opportunity was being ushered in for cooperation and development. On January 1, 2010, the first phase of China-ASEAN FTA and India-ASEAN FTA Goods Agreement came into effect. China has adopted a new round of West Development strategy, which intensifies the opening up of border areas in Yunnan. Yunnan is to be developed as a gateway to the Southwest to enable more effective cooperation with Southeast Asia and South Asia.
He advanced four suggestions for deepening and upgrading the cooperation. Of these the most important is for facilitating transport connectivity. He sought a consensus on a land route linking Yunnan with Myanmar towards Bangladesh and India that would make Yunnan a passageway linking China with Southeast Asia and South Asia. The Indian delegation endorsed the expectation that “we can move forward to establish the Kunming-MandalayDhaka-Kolkata Corridor as a concrete demonstration of improved connectivity and vibrant expression of regional cooperation in many planes.” The head of the Indian delegation, Ambassador Eric Gonsalves was confident that the 9th Forum would mark a new beginning in the level and speed of cooperation across the BCIM region. He recalled that the last two rounds had focused on the relevant areas of cooperation, the difficulties faced and the need to prepare projects with detailed plans for implementation.