Concerned About China, Southeast Asian Countries Start To Build Up Their Armies

Map of South East Asia

Concerned About China's Rise, Southeast Asian Nations Build Up Militaries -- Washington Post

The nations of Southeast Asia are building up their militaries, buying submarines and jet fighters at a record pace and edging closer strategically to the United States as a hedge against China's rise and its claims to all of the South China Sea.

Weapons acquisitions in the region almost doubled from 2005 to 2009 compared with the five preceding years, according to data released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute this year.

"There is a threat perception among some of the countries in Southeast Asia," said Siemon Wezeman, senior fellow at the institute. "China is an issue there."

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My Comment: I cannot say that I am surprised. All of the press in the region have been voicing for some time concerns about China's economic and military ascendancy .... and I guess a point has been reached in which talking is being replaced by 'doing', and that 'doing' is the expansion of each country's military and the search for alliances and political/military relationships.