Southeast Asian fund can complement Chinese investment by boosting self-reliance

The countries of Southeast Asia have rarely found it easy to cooperate, despite founding one of the world’s best-known regional clubs — the Association of Southeast Asian Nations — over 50 years ago. With the members in very varied political and economic positions, they have found it tough to launch concrete joint projects. So in a welcome move Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam — half of ASEAN’s 10 members — have announced a common infrastructure and development fund.