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Abstract
This article highlights the parallels between Japan’s leveraging of foreign aid to secure access to strategic natural resources in the post-World War II period, and China’s similar use of foreign aid since the early 1990s. It then shows how both countries have applied similar strategies in their aid programs in Myanmar, and points out how dramatic shifts in Myanmar’s domestic politics have shaped their opportunities for economic engagement. China seized upon Myanmar’s political transition in 1988 to expand its aid program, while Japan has responded to Myanmar’s reform measures since 2010 by resuming its aid efforts. The article concludes by considering the potential for China–Japan cooperation through their aid programs in Myanmar.
Acknowledgments
An earlier version of this article was first presented at the ‘International Politics of Resources’ Research Workshop, University of Technology Sydney on 28–29 July 2011. The author expresses appreciation to the workshop organisers and participants for their helpful comments and suggestions.