3-GMS&ASEAN全解

1Unit3GMS&ASEANTextAADB’sGMSPROGRAMBackgroundInformation1.TheGreaterMekongSub-regionTheGreaterMekongSub-region(GMS)ismadeupofCambodia,People’sRepublicofChina(PRC,specificallyYunnanProvinceandGuangxiZhuangAutonomousRegion),LaoPeople’sDemocraticRepublic(LaoPDR),Myanmar,Thailand,andVietNam.TheGMSisanaturaleconomicareaboundtogetherbytheMekongRiver.TheGMScovers2.6millionsquarekilometersandhasacombinedpopulationofaround326million.2.OriginIn1992,withassistancefromtheAsianDevelopmentBank(ADB),thesixcountriesoftheGMSlaunchedaprogramofsub-regionaleconomiccooperationtoenhancetheireconomicrelations,buildingontheirsharedhistoriesandcultures.TheGMSProgram,withsupportfromADBandotheragencies,helpsimplementhigh-prioritysub-regionalprojectsinninesectors(seeProgramsectors).3.ThreeCs—Connectivity,Competitiveness,andCommunityTheGMSProgramhasadoptedathree-prongedstrategy—the3Cs—toreachitsvisionofaprosperous,integrated,andharmonioussub-region.Thismeans:(1)Increasingconnectivityinthesub-regionthroughsustainabledevelopmentofinfrastructureandtransnationaleconomiccorridors;(2)Improvingcompetitivenessthroughefficientcross-bordermovementofpeopleandgoods,andintegratedmarketsandproductionprocesses,therebyeasingthesub-region’sintegrationintotheglobaleconomy;and(3)Buildingagreatersenseofcommunitythroughprogramsthataddresssharedsocialandenvironmentalconcerns.4.DevelopmentofEconomicCorridorsThe“economiccorridor”approachrecognizesthatdevelopmententailsinfrastructureintegratedwithothereconomicopportunities.Theseincludetradeandinvestment,andeffortstoaddresssocialandotherimpactsarisingfromincreasedconnectivity.TheGMScountrieshaveformedanEconomicCorridorsForumtobolstereffortsintransformingGMStransportcorridorsintoeconomiccorridors.ItisdesignedtoenhancecollaborationamongareasalongthecorridorsandamongGMSsectorworkinggroups,andwillactasasinglebodyfocusingoneconomiccorridordevelopment.Thiswillhelpimproveinteractionbetweenthepublicandprivatesectors,andbetweencentralandlocalgovernments.5.ADB’sRoleADBplaysamultifacetedroleintheGMSProgram:(1)Asfinancier,providingfinancingandassistancetotheGMScountries;(2)AstechnicalandadvisorysupportformanyactivitiesundertheGMSProgram;(3)AssecretariatandcoordinatoroftheGMSProgram;(4)Ashonestbroker,supportingsub-regionaldialogueatthepoliticalandoperationallevels,andamongstakeholdersoftheGMSProgram;and(5)Ascatalyst,bybringingtogetherthedifferentparticipantsintheGMSProgram,andhelpingthemreachconsensusonkeyissues.6.CambodiaintheGMSCambodiahasbeenanactiveparticipantintheGMSProgramsincetheProgram’sinceptionin1992.The11thMinisterialConferencewasheldinPhnomPenhinSeptember2002.TheFirst2GMSSummitofLeaderswasheldinPhnomPenhinNovember2002.GivenitscentrallocationintheLowerMekongBasin,CambodiaisviewedasakeyplayerindeepeningeconomiccooperationamongtheparticipatingcountriesintheGMSProgram.7.thePeople’sRepublicofChinaintheGMSThePeople’sRepublicofChina(PRC)isanactiveparticipantintheGMSProgramthroughtheimplementationofprioritysub-regionalprojectsinYunnanProvinceandGuangxiZhuangAutonomousRegion(Guangxi)aswellasparticipationinregionwideinitiatives.ThePRChasbeenastrongproponentofthebasicprinciplesofsub-regionalcooperationundertheGMSProgram,whichwerereaffirmedbyGMSLeadersattheirSecondSummitheldinKunming,PRCinJuly2005,andmorerecentlyattheThirdGMSSummitheldinVientiane,LaoPDRinMarch2008.8.LaoPDRintheGMSTheLaoPDRissituatedatthe“heart”oftheGMS,beingtheonlycountrywithborderswithalltheotherFiveGMScountries(Cambodia,PRC,Myanmar,Thailand,andVietNam).LaoPDRviewseconomiccooperationasanimportantmeansforsupportingsustainableeconomicgrowth.9.MyanmarinGMSMyanmaristhesecondlargestcountryinSoutheastAsia,borderingfivenations,andisendowedwithrichnaturalresources—arableland,forestry,minerals(includinggasandoil),andfreshwaterandmarineresources.Economicgrowthedgedupoverthepast2years,accompaniedbyrelativelymodestinflation.Theeconomyisexpectedtogrowmoderatelyovertheforecastperiod,supportedbyforeigninvestmentinconstructionandhigherlevelsofcredittoagriculture.ThegovernmentthattookofficeinMarch2011facesanextensiveagendaofreformsifthecountryistoreachitspotential.10.ThailandintheGMSThailandhasbeenanactiveparticipantintheGMSProgramsincetheProgram’sinceptionin1992.ThailandhasbeenparticipatinginADB-financedregionaltechnicalassistance(RETA)projectsundertheGMSProgram.ThailandhasalsobeenamajorprovideroffinancialandtechnicalassistancetoneighboringGMScountriesfortheimplementationofprioritysub-regionalprojects.11.VietNamintheGMSTheSocioeconomicDevelopmentPlanoftheGovernmentofVietNamrecognizestheimportanceofregionalcooperationandintegrationinattainingVietNam’sdevelopmentgoals.Borderdistricts/provincesareamongthepoorestareasinthecountryand,assuch,theirdevelopmentissignificantlyinfluencedbyVietNam’sneighbors,i.eCambodia,thePRC,andLaoPDR.3LanguagePoints1.Para.[1]:…TheGreaterMekongSub-region(GMS)isabrainchildoftheAsianDevelopmentBank(ADB)comprisingoffivecountriesandoneprovince.①brainchild:(informal)anideaorinventionwhichisconsideredasaparticularperson'screation(非正式)脑力劳动的产物（如主意或发明）e.g.T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