ARMS RACE IN EAST ASIA

EAST ASIA’S MILITARY BUILDUP SPARKS CONCERN

Kang Hyun-kyung

The Korea Times, January 17, 2010

Some defense watchers note that East Asian nations are becoming more conservative of late, voicing concern that this could produce the possibility of an arms buildup in the region. They allege that an assertive China and provocative North Korea together are playing a role in changing the security landscape, adding this could motivate regional players to upgrade their weapons’ capability.

The concern was addressed days before U.S. President Barack Obama will meet with his Chinese Counterpart Hu Jintao in Washington to discuss issues of mutual concern. The Obama-Hu summit coincides with a growing concern in Seoul over the Cold War-like confrontations between the blocs of South Korea, the United States and Japan, and China and North Korea looming large on the Korean Peninsula.

“When China bashes Japan about the islands (Senkaku in Japanese and Daioyu in Chinese); that has a strong impact on Japanese’ behavior and also on Korean behavior,” a U.S. defense expert told The Korea Times last week on condition of anonymity. “North Korea on the nuclear front especially prompts the Japanese to think that a missile defense system is good, but I think Chinese behavior is much more important in shaping the general need for security in the region.” The expert noted that there was a possibility of an arms race in East Asia.

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