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Joseph Aranha

Throughout many countries in Asia there are moves by various, and new governments towards peace. People have voted out governments whose focus was confrontation with their neighbors as in Taiwan. The Chinese have kind of settled down due to the catastrophic earthquake that hit China in the recent past - the largest in 58 years, which showed them that power does not come out of the barrel of a gun. In Malaysia more Tamil representatives were elected to office and in South Korea a new president was elected who doesn’t seem to be confrontational.
Sri Lanka is still a problem area and the Maoists have come to power in Nepal. While the Maoists have been designated a terrorist group by the Americans, they were still voted to power in the recent elections - by the people of Nepal.
In China especially openness seemed to be the name of the game in the recent natural disaster and the press was allowed free access to the effected areas. There was no efforts being made to conceal the severity of the disaster and President Hu Jintao even took personal control in dealing with disaster relief. Aid was offered and accepted from all over Asia - even Taiwan and Japan. This was in complete contrast to the handling of the problem by the Chinese in Tibet recently.
China seems to have learnt from the past and this has brought a softening it its attitude towards its neighbors. President Hu Jintao even visited Japan recently and at the way the situation is developing may even visit Taiwan. Since the election of the President Ma Ying-jeou in Taiwan there have been visits from senior leaders of Taiwan to the mainland and attitudes have definitely softened between the two countries.
Surprisingly in April of this year a group of property tycoons from China visited Taiwan which is a sign that there will be improvements in economic relations. A few year ago this would have been un-thinkable. Taiwan is making great progress in attracting new investment which in its own way will stimulate domestic consumption and growth. While the concentration seems to presently focus on improving relations with China, if Taiwan spreads her wings and also canvasses support from other countries, there is no telling where this economic boom will take the country.
There has also been a softening between the three major East Asian economies - China, Japan and South Korea as they try to increase trade. There has been a softening of attitudes between the new economic giants of Asia including India and if these giants join hands there is no telling where the growth of their economies can take them.
Needless to say in their economies they will have to find ways for the benefits to reach the under privileged as the new President of Taiwan has promised to do.
Even in India while the upper class has always led a comfortable life and the middle class has improved upon its status the under privileged who comprise virtually 50% of the population still live in squalor, lacking basis infrastructure.
Throughout Asia one sees a softening of attitudes and governments have recognized the fact that as the world becomes smaller through information technology more progress can be made through peace moves and trade which can then lead to better economic growth for all. No longer does “power come out of the barrel of a gun” as some countries still profess, but comes from economic growth, as Japan and Taiwan has shown the world, and which other countries are starting to understand and follow.