China military buildup spurs Asian arms race

China military buildup spurs Asian arms race

By Pierre-Antoine Donnet

TOKYO (AFP): The threat of China's military build up has
spurred other Asian countries, from Indonesia to Japan, to rearm
at a rate not seen since the Cold War, analysts here say.

"A major reason (for the arms build up) is that many of these
Asian countries have become richer and now have money to buy
weapons," said Masashi Nishihara, chief researcher at Japan's
National Institute for Defense Studies.

"But another big reason is China's perceived military build up
which is worrying. China is seen as a growing threat," Nishihara
added.

Regional arms purchases have not yet reached an alarming
level, analysts say.

But they point out that many Asian countries are actively
acquiring sophisticated military hardware, in stark contrast to
most Western countries, which generally have been slashing
military budgets since the end of the Cold War.

Singapore increased its military expenditure 91 percent from
1985 to 1994 in real terms, while South Korea boosted spending 59
percent over the same period and Japan's defense budget was up 58
percent.

The Philippines increased spending 37 percent over the period,
while Thailand's was up 35 percent and Taiwan's 31 percent,
according to international studies.

The threat of China in the regional balance of power
materialized last year in the Spratly islands when territorial
markers put up by the Chinese navy on a disputed shoal were blown
up by the Philippines.

The Spratlys, which are believed to sit atop large oil
deposits, are also claimed in whole or in part by Brunei,
Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam.

Chinese activity near the islands was "a big shock for ASEAN
(Association of Southeast Asian Nations) as well as for other
countries, including Japan," a Japanese diplomat said.

ASEAN groups Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines,
Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Tensions between China and Taiwan have contributed to a sense
of instability in Asia, particularly since Beijing has repeatedly
said that it does not rule out using force against the Taipei
government if it declared independence from the mainland or in
the case of foreign interference.

China's armed forces suffer from a high level of obsolete
equipment despite declared annual defense spending increases
around 20 percent, albeit amid high inflation.

But analysts said real defense spending by China was difficult
to estimate due to a lack of transparency in accounts and a
modernization drive within the navy and the air force.

China has bought state-of-the art weapons from Russia,
including powerful Sukhoi-27 fighter planes which it reportedly
plans to assemble itself later.

The current military build-up in Asia began in the mid 1980s,
amid tension triggered by the Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia and
with the former Soviet Union then still wielding mighty influence
in the region.

Both of these threats have disappeared and China now seems to
have taken the role of potential threat to regional security.

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific
Affairs Winston Lord said last week in Manila that the mainland
Chinese were "clearly building up their capability for the Taiwan
Strait, for the South China Sea."

The Japanese government has made regular official requests to
Beijing for greater transparency of its military program.

Defense analysts said that the regional military build-up is
also fueled by competition for prestige among ASEAN members and
by a market which rewards purchasers -- including political
leaders -- with hefty commissions for large contracts.