THE United States has urged countries to think twice before signing up for a new China-led Asian development bank that Washington sees as a rival to the World Bank, after Germany, France and Italy followed Britain in saying they would join.

    The concerted move by U.S. allies to participate in China’s flagship economic outreach project is a diplomatic blow to the United States and its efforts to counter the fast-growing economic and diplomatic influence of China.

    Europe’s participation reflects the eagerness to partner with China’s economy, the world’s second largest, and comes amid prickly trade negotiations between Brussels and Washington.

    European Union and Asian governments are frustrated that the U.S. Congress has held up a reform of voting rights in the International Monetary Fund that would give China and other emerging powers more say in global economic governance.

    Washington insists it has not actively discouraged countries from joining the new bank, but it has questioned whether the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) will have sufficient standards of governance and environmental and social safeguards.

    “I hope before the final commitments are made anyone who lends their name to this organization will make sure that the governance is appropriate,” U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew told U.S. lawmakers.

    German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble announced at a joint news conference with visiting Chinese Vice Premier Ma Kai that Germany, Europe’s biggest economy and a major trade partner of China, would be a founding member of the AIIB.

    In a joint statement, the foreign and finance ministers of Germany, France and Italy said they would work to ensure the new institution “follows the best standards and practices in terms of governance, safeguards, debt and procurement policies.”

    In a short statement, China’s Ministry of Finance said it welcomed the decision and hoped to receive written confirmation soon.

    “If all goes smoothly, France, Italy and Germany could formally become founding members of the AIIB two weeks after,” it said.

    Luxembourg’s Finance Ministry also confirmed the country, a big financial center, has applied to be a founding member of the US$50 billion AIIB.

    The AIIB was launched in Beijing last year to spur investment in Asia in transport, energy, telecommunications and other infrastructure. It was seen as a rival to the Western-dominated World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. China has said it will use the best practices of those institutions.

    (SD-Agencies)