ABSTRACT
Myanmar’s regional security enhancement strategy – winning friends and influencing regional governments – will need to integrate the fundamental platforms of human security into its indigenous state/regime framework, if its objective of achieving holistic security is to deliver on its expectations. To head-off any Chinese pretensions to treating Myanmar as a satellite state, however, all indications are that Myanmar will seek to balance Chinese influence with that of India. Thailand’s firm stance in refusing to go down the United States sanctions approach, and in maintaining its engagement policy towards Myanmar, parallels that of India. Like Japan, South Korea also is an important trading partner of Myanmar with substantial investment in the country. In other areas, the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research has been cooperating on agricultural assistance to Myanmar to help in improving seed quality and yield per hectare.
