US anger at Britain joining Chinese-led investment bank AIIB
Nicholas Watt/Paul Lewis/Tania Branigan, The Guardian , MARCH 13, 2015

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/mar/13/white-house-pointedly-asks-uk-to-use-its-voice-as-part-of-chinese-led-bank

 
  昨天天下雜誌來訪問有關一帶一路，我說其戰略意義是不只向西突破美國圍堵，而且應用買麥金德"心臟地帶世界島"觀念，反圍堵美國。今天的心臟地帶應在中國，和百年前的東歐在世界島上是對稱的。
      我特別說到北京2013年12月有英國首相率有史以來最大商團訪問。
       沒想到，說時遲，那時快，當時埋下的伏筆已經浮出來了。今天媒體報導：英國決定參加中國主導的亞洲基礎建設投資銀行，而美國不爽。
 
     北京青年報2013年12說5日有篇評論“卡梅倫在中國能找到什麼”。作者說："英國首相卡梅倫說英國將做中國在西方世界最強支持者。…過去18個月，中國企業在英國投資超過了過去30年的總和。....英國是世界上最懂得權衡利弊的民族。.....英國是第一個對中國造成傷害的外邦，也是推動中國匯入西方現代文明的肇始者。中國的海關制度是從英國引進的，第一任海關總稅務司赫德爵士也是英國人。"
 
一帶一路˙麥金德 ˙馬漢
      -世界島和新“心臟地帶”
-印度洋和七海之鑰

 
    地緣政治大師麥金德1919年說過： “誰統治東歐就控制心臟地帶；誰統治心臟地帶就控制世界島；誰統治世界島就控制世界”。 “一帶”發展的前景和這句話的觀念呼應。
 
    海權觀念的先進，美國海軍馬漢將軍(1840-1914)說過： “誰控制印度洋就主導亞洲。這海洋是通往七海之鑰。未來在21世紀，世界的命運將在這片海面上決定。” “一路” 發展的前景和這句話的觀念呼應。
    北京必須突破美國撐腰、自東而來的圍堵：向西發展。一帶一路發展到極致，既使北京無心圍堵美國，也勢必有自後門包抄、反圍堵美國的效應。何況，拉美已有北京多年耕耘的厚實基礎。法國靠中國旅客巨額花費。德國是北京的經濟夥伴，不斷在立場上有別於華府。西班牙、希臘已是靠北京的"好客戶".......。
 
                 林中斌 2015年3月14日

 

 
 The White House has issued a pointed statement declaring it hopes and expects the UK will use its influence to ensure that high standards of governance are upheld in a new Chinese-led investment bank that Britain is to join.
 
In a rare public breach in the special relationship, the White House signalled its unease at Britain’s decision to become a founder member of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) by raising concerns about whether the new body would meet the standards of the World Bank.
 
The $50bn (£33.5bn) bank, which is designed to provide infrastructure funds to the Asia-Pacific region, is viewed with great suspicion by Washington officials, who see it as a rival to the World Bank. They believe Beijing will use the bank to extend its soft power in the region.
 
The White House statement reads: “This is the UK’s sovereign decision. We hope and expect that the UK will use its voice to push for adoption of high standards.”
 
George Osborne – who has discussed the decision to become a founder member of the investment bank with his US counterpart, Jack Lew – has been the driving force behind developing closer economic ties between Britain and China. The chancellor has led the way in encouraging Chinese investment in the next generation of civil nuclear power plants in the UK and he ensured that the City of London would become the base for the first clearing house for the yuan outside Asia.
 
I think the US has had its questions about the UK posture towards China on other issues
 
The US administration made clear in no uncertain terms its displeasure about Osborne’s decision to join the AIIB. A US official told the Financial Times: “We are wary about a trend toward constant accommodation of China, which is not the best way to engage a rising power.”
 
Britain was unsurprised by the decision of the US administration to air its concerns in public after the formal announcement that the UK would join the new investment bank. Sources said, in addition to the talks about British plans between the chancellor and the US treasury secretary, British and US officials have been in regular contact ahead of the announcement. UK officials say that, by joining the bank as a founding member, Britain will be able to shape the new institution.
 
In its statement to the Guardian, the White House national security council said: “Our position on the AIIB remains clear and consistent. The United States and many major global economies all agree there is a pressing need to enhance infrastructure investment around the world. We believe any new multilateral institution should incorporate the high standards of the World Bank and the regional development banks.
 
“Based on many discussions, we have concerns about whether the AIIB will meet these high standards, particularly related to governance, and environmental and social safeguards … The international community has a stake in seeing the AIIB complement the existing architecture, and to work effectively alongside the World Bank and Asian Development Bank.”
 
 
Human rights groups and others have complained that the UK has become too willing to placate China – particularly in light of its muted comments over the tight restrictions set out for voting rights in Hong Kong – but Thursday’s remarks seem to be focused on the bank.
 
“I think the US has had its questions about the UK posture towards China on other issues and I suppose this announcement probably triggered renewed concern in Washington about overall British politics vis-à-vis China. But [we] don’t normally arbitrate these things in public and I’m a little unsure as to why the US has chosen to pick a fight with the UK on this bank at this time, because I thought it had somewhat softened its posture on the bank. It’s a bit surprising to me,” said Matthew Goodman, senior adviser for Asian economics at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
 
Goodman said the US had legitimate questions about the AIIB when it was first announced last summer, such as the governance of the institution, its lending standards and procurement rules.
 
“Notwithstanding that, I think they should have been more willing to engage in discussion with China and others about the institution. There’s a big infrastructure gap in Asia, existing institutions are not filling it and China has the wherewithal to contribute on the right terms.”
 
Some surmised that the US was responsible when Australia backed away from signing up to the bank at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Beijing last autumn, after widespread speculation a deal was on the cards.
 
“The US did reach out to Australia, Koreans and others to consult about questions and concerns, and that’s been interpreted as leaning on allies not to join the bank,” said Goodman.
 
As the world’s second largest economy, China has grown increasingly frustrated that it does not have more influence at the IMF and World Bank, and sees little prospect of more say regarding the Japanese-backed Asia Development Bank.
 
 
一帶一路●麥金德 ●馬漢
-世界島和新“心臟地帶”
-印度洋和七海之鑰
 
Map of the "Heartland Theory", as published by Mackinder in 1904.
Halford J. Mackinder. Original uploader was Marc-king at nl.wikipedia - "The Geographical Pivot of History", Geographical Journal 23, no. 4 (April 1904): 435.. Originally from nl.wikipedia; description page is/was here.

Later, in 1919, Mackinder summarised his theory as:
"Who rules East Europe commands the Heartland;
who rules the Heartland commands the World-Island;
who rules the World-Island commands the world."
(Mackinder, Democratic Ideals and Reality, p. 150)
 
 “Whoever controls the Indian Ocean dominates Asia.  This Ocean is the key to the Seven Seas. In the twenty-first century the destiny of the world will be decided on its waters.”   Alfred T. Mahan (1840-1914) cited in Guido Gerosa, “Will the Indian Ocean Become a Soviet Pond?”  Atlas 19, 1970
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