• Burmese
Thursday, July 10, 2025
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTER
The Irrawaddy
25 °c
Yangon
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Junta Watch
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Books
  • Donation
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Junta Watch
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Books
  • Donation
No Result
View All Result
The Irrawaddy
No Result
View All Result
Home News Asia

Clinton Urges Free Markets with Democracy in Asia

Bradley Klapper by Bradley Klapper
July 10, 2012
in Uncategorized
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0 0
A A
Clinton Urges Free Markets with Democracy in Asia
1.7k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

ULAN BATOR, Mongolia—US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton took aim at China’s model of economic growth without democracy on Monday, arguing that it undermines long-term prospects and urging other Asian countries to expand markets and political freedom at the same time.

Without mentioning Beijing by name, Clinton laid out a week of diplomatic efforts she’ll make across Asia to press governments into improving the rule of law and free expression. Speaking at a woman’s event in Mongolia, China’s northern neighbor, she said limiting freedom “kills innovation and discourages entrepreneurship,” and ultimately undermines economic expansion.

“We need to make the 21st century a time in which people across Asia don’t only become more wealthy,” she said. “They must also become more free.”

RelatedPosts

‘Reforms Are Not Optional’: Prominent Activist Urges NUG to Act Before It’s Too Late

‘Reforms Are Not Optional’: Prominent Activist Urges NUG to Act Before It’s Too Late

July 9, 2025
164
Myanmar Junta’s Top Russian Arms Supplier Tosses in Quake ‘Donation’

Myanmar Junta’s Top Russian Arms Supplier Tosses in Quake ‘Donation’

July 9, 2025
210
Trump’s Tariffs to Hit Myanmar’s Garment Manufacturers Hard

Trump’s Tariffs to Hit Myanmar’s Garment Manufacturers Hard

July 9, 2025
318

She contrasted Mongolia’s path with that of other Asian governments who’ve fought the trend toward greater liberty, while also holding up the democratic achievements in Thailand, Taiwan and even Burma, also known as Myanmar, to dispel the notion that democracy is antithetical to Asian values. She rejected suggestions that democracy upsets stability or is a privilege for the wealthy.

“This is the right time to talk about democracy in Asia, as many countries in this region grapple with the question of which model of governance best suits their society and circumstances,” she said. “The path they choose will shape the lives of billions of people and the future of this region.”

The message reflects the battle of values between Washington and Beijing as they jostle for strategic and economic advantages across the continent. President Barack Obama has tried to pivot US power to the region, in part to reverse a slide toward China in recent years as its economy boomed and America’s struggled.

Clinton, who’ll also visit Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia over the next five days, held up Mongolia as a positive example of advancement. Having visited the country once before, as first lady in 1995, she returned to the capital of Ulan Bator via a potholed road undergoing expansion, past billboards advertising Western firms and skyscrapers sprouting up amidst the Soviet-era architectural relics dominating the cityscape.

She was formally welcomed below a giant statue of Genghis Khan across the city’s communist-era central plaza from a Louis Vuitton shop, further underscoring the old and new Mongolia and reflecting its rapidly expanding wealth.

“My trip reflects a strategic priority of American foreign policy today,” Clinton said. “After 10 years in which we focused a great deal of attention on the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, the United States is making substantially increased investments—diplomatic, economic, strategic and otherwise—in this part of the world. It’s what we call our pivot toward Asia.”

A country more than twice the size of Texas with only 2.7 million people, Mongolia is tapping into its huge deposits of gold, copper, coal and other natural resources. But unlike its neighbors, undemocratic China and increasingly authoritarian Russia, Mongolia’s expansion in wealth has been accompanied by greater freedom for its people.

Clinton stressed this point, but her visit also comes as international mining companies scramble for some of the country’s mineral wealth. The prize is a share of Tavan Tolgoi, a coal field with estimated reserves of 6.4 billion tons just 200 kilometers from China, the world’s biggest consumer of coal. Among the bidders for a strategic stake is Peabody Energy, a St. Louis-based coal mining titan that has lobbied Washington to support its bid.

Mongolia has also contributed to US strategic interests. It has sent troops to Afghanistan and Iraq, and to UN peacekeeping operations in Africa, part of a foreign policy designed to carve out protection for itself against Chinese and Russian domination.

Clinton said she remained inspired by Mongolia’s transition to democracy in the 1990s and the six successful rounds of parliamentary elections it has held. “Against long odds, surrounded by powerful neighbors who had their own ideas for Mongolia’s future, the Mongolian people came together with great courage to transform a one-party communist dictatorship into a pluralistic political system,” she said.

Your Thoughts …
Bradley Klapper

Bradley Klapper

Reuters

Similar Picks:

Exodus: Tens of Thousands Flee as Myanmar Junta Troops Face Last Stand in Kokang
Burma

Exodus: Tens of Thousands Flee as Myanmar Junta Troops Face Last Stand in Kokang

by Hein Htoo Zan
November 28, 2023
98.5k

Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army troops are opening roads and pathways through forests for people to flee Kokang’s capital as...

Read moreDetails
Burning Alive in Myanmar: Two Resistance Fighters Executed in Public
Burma

Burning Alive in Myanmar: Two Resistance Fighters Executed in Public

by The Irrawaddy
February 7, 2024
89.8k

People’s Defense Force says junta troops told every household in the village to send one member to witness the double...

Read moreDetails
Another Entire Junta Battalion Raises the White Flag in Myanmar’s Northern Shan State
War Against the Junta

Another Entire Junta Battalion Raises the White Flag in Myanmar’s Northern Shan State

by The Irrawaddy
November 29, 2023
87.1k

Brotherhood Alliance member says it now has complete control of Kokang’s northernmost section after the junta’s Light Infantry Battalion 125...

Read moreDetails
Depleted Myanmar Military Urges Deserters to Return to Barracks
Burma

Depleted Myanmar Military Urges Deserters to Return to Barracks

by The Irrawaddy
December 4, 2023
59k

The junta said deserters would not be punished for minor crimes, highlighting the military’s shortage of troops as resistance offensives...

Read moreDetails
As Myanmar’s Military Stumbles, a Top General’s Dissapearance Fuels Intrigue
Burma

As Myanmar’s Military Stumbles, a Top General’s Dissapearance Fuels Intrigue

by The Irrawaddy
April 19, 2024
47k

The junta’s No. 2 has not been seen in public since April 3, sparking rumors that he was either gravely...

Read moreDetails
Enter the Dragon, Exit the Junta: Myanmar’s Brotherhood Alliance makes Chinese New Year Vow
Burma

Enter the Dragon, Exit the Junta: Myanmar’s Brotherhood Alliance makes Chinese New Year Vow

by The Irrawaddy
February 12, 2024
44.7k

Ethnic armed grouping says it will continue Operation 1027 offensive until goal of ousting the junta is achieved. 

Read moreDetails
Load More
Next Post
Euphoria Gives Way to Harsh Reality

Euphoria Gives Way to Harsh Reality

Burma to be ‘Guide’ for US in Asean

Burma to be ‘Guide’ for US in Asean

No Result
View All Result

Recommended

37 Years and Counting: Why Has Myanmar’s Democracy Struggle Taken So Long?

37 Years and Counting: Why Has Myanmar’s Democracy Struggle Taken So Long?

6 days ago
1.3k
China’s Surveillance State Watches Everyone, Everywhere

China’s Surveillance State Watches Everyone, Everywhere

2 days ago
650

Most Read

  • Chin Resistance Tensions Boil Over as CNA Seizes Rival’s Myanmar HQ

    Chin Resistance Tensions Boil Over as CNA Seizes Rival’s Myanmar HQ

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Myanmar Junta Starves Last Rakhine Strongholds as AA Closes In

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • China’s Surveillance State Watches Everyone, Everywhere

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Trump’s Tariffs to Hit Myanmar’s Garment Manufacturers Hard

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Myanmar Junta Trains Staff on Electronic Voting Machines Across the Country

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Newsletter

Get The Irrawaddy’s latest news, analyses and opinion pieces on Myanmar in your inbox.

Subscribe here for daily updates.

Contents

  • News
  • Politics
  • War Against the Junta
  • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
  • Conflicts In Numbers
  • Junta Crony
  • Ethnic Issues
  • Asia
  • World
  • Business
  • Economy
  • Election 2020
  • Elections in History
  • Cartoons
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Commentary
  • Guest Column
  • Analysis
  • Letters
  • In Person
  • Interview
  • Profile
  • Dateline
  • Specials
  • Myanmar Diary
  • Women & Gender
  • Places in History
  • On This Day
  • From the Archive
  • Myanmar & COVID-19
  • Intelligence
  • Myanmar-China Watch
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Food
  • Fashion & Design
  • Videos
  • Photos
  • Photo Essay
  • Donation

About The Irrawaddy

Founded in 1993 by a group of Myanmar journalists living in exile in Thailand, The Irrawaddy is a leading source of reliable news, information, and analysis on Burma/Myanmar and the Southeast Asian region. From its inception, The Irrawaddy has been an independent news media group, unaffiliated with any political party, organization or government. We believe that media must be free and independent and we strive to preserve press freedom.

  • Copyright
  • Code of Ethics
  • Privacy Policy
  • Team
  • About Us
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • Burmese

© 2023 Irrawaddy Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Business Roundup
  • Books
  • Donation

© 2023 Irrawaddy Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.