Russian arms have fewer takers in South-East Asia
South Korea looks set to become the region’s new weapons-maker of choice
HARD-WIRED INTO the psyches of those running South-East Asia is that they live in a dangerous world. Their region sees great-power competition between America, China and India. China has overlapping claims in the South China Sea with five South-East Asian states and asserts them aggressively. The professions of amity and consensus that dominate discussions in the regional club, the ten-country Association of South-East Asian Nations, are intended partly to paper over a history of mutual suspicion and conflict. In South-East Asia, strong defence is the starting-point for a strong state. Tiny Singapore spends almost 3% of its gdp on defence, more than any European country apart from Greece, Russia and Ukraine. In Myanmar, the generals turn weapons on their fellow citizens.
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This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline “Keep your Kalashnikovs”
From the March 25th 2023 edition
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Prabowo Subianto is drastically cutting Indonesia’s budget
The cash saved is going into a new fund he controls
The election in Tajikistan is unlikely to be democratic
Instead it will be a way for Emomali Rahmon, the president, to cement his rule
How overt religiosity became cool in India
The Maha Kumbh Mela shows how tradition has become trendy
The trouble with ancient Indians
India is rapidly ageing. It’s in for some surprises
Singapore’s leader of the opposition is convicted of lying
The city-state’s usually dull politics have taken a turn
Only Asia can help America counter China’s shipbuilding prowess
But will Donald Trump let it?