This year marks the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Vietnam. When Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited Vietnam in January, the two countries confirmed that their relationship had grown into an even greater “strategic partnership” and agreed to continue cooperating on constructing nuclear power plants and developing rare earths resources.
However, many problems have surfaced concerning recent resources and energy development in Vietnam. Simply looking at the progress thus far, there is major cause for concern over the construction of nuclear power plants there.
The ongoing bauxite mining and alumina production financed by Chinese firms in the south-central highlands of Vietnam is a large-scale project on par with nuclear power plant construction. Yet this project was agreed on by the leaders of the Chinese and Vietnamese communist parties behind closed doors, and it began without any deliberations in Vietnam’s National Assembly.
No environmental impact assessment reports have been released, and some have pointed out that the project is in violation of the law. Due to the lack of transparency in the decision-making process, as well as any obligation for the government to explain the details of the project, an organized opposition movement led by Vietnamese intellectuals has grown, and the bauxite venture has galvanized action demanding democracy and disclosure.
Read more: http://ajw.asahi.com/article/forum/politics_and_economy/southeast_asia/AJ201306250053
