In recent days, it seems the beginnings of a new formal alliance that will shape the future of defence in the Asia-Pacific arena has emerged, that of Australia + Japan + South Korea + USA (a starting point for a Pacific NATO???). Increased defence ties between the USA and Singapore also means the USA may – if Singapore wants in as well – have a very important (but vulnerable) staging point smack bang in the middle of some of the world’s busiest shipping lanes (incidently supplying China). Additionally, the USAF will start storing ammunition in Australia as well as increasingly already high levels of co-operation even further, as well as engaging in high level four way talks with the Australia, Japan and South Korea. Would China see such a new security agreement (it’s nothing more than ministerial words at the moment) as a serious threat, and decide to “punish” the participants by blocking trade or other economic threats to its billion plus consumers? What do you guys see as the face of defence in the Asia-Pacific continues to change?
MinMiester
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July 31, 2001 at 3:08 pm