Are The Battle Lines Being Drawn For A War Across East Asia That Will Involve Taiwan?

The Hill: The battle lines are being drawn for a war across East Asia involving Taiwan 

The United States has strengthened its defenses in East Asia by gaining year-around, permanent access to nine bases in the Philippines. These aren’t American bases, but U.S. troops can move freely in and out for exercises or, for that matter, in a real war. 

This month, the bases are supporting more than 17,000 U.S. and Philippine troops in the biggest war games in the Philippines in years. The Philippines’ President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has reversed the policies of his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, who undermined the U.S.-Philippine alliance by courting China. Duterte saw a warm relationship with China’s President Xi Jinping as necessary to head off armed conflict in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims belongs to China.  

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WNU Editor: They are certainly getting ready for a conflict in Taiwan .... 'Get Ready': Taiwan Civilians Train For Chinese Invasion (AFP).

US Allies In The Asia-Pacific Region Scrambling To Re-Arm Themselves

Zero Hedge/Epoch Times: A Prelude To War 

While the Biden administration’s weakness and decline in military readiness concerning China goes unreported or under-reported in the United States, those nations most vulnerable to Chinese aggression and intimidation are aware of the rising risk of war. 

When nations assess their national security status, they analyze all alliances and associations, including military, economic, etc. A critical aspect of that analysis will be the United States and its ability and willingness to fulfill its strategic security obligations.  

Fading US Security Guarantees in the Region 

Today, those obligations, first and foremost, involve the threats that China and its de facto proxy, North Korea, pose to the region. Every national security advisor or minister of defense in the Asia-Pacific region that relies on U.S. security guarantees must ask themselves, “Are we as secure today as we were yesterday under American security guarantees?”  

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WNU Editor: Everyone outside the U.S., Canada, and the EU is seeing what I am seeing. A decline in US influence, commitment, diplomacy, and the ability to quickly respond to a crisis. 

Last week's brokered deal by China between Iran and Saudi Arabia is a case in point. In the past the US would be centered stage in such a deal. No more now. 

In the case of Asia. When America's allies look at the US they see a lot of rhetoric, but very little if any follow-up. That is why every U.S. ally in Asia is scrambling right now to boost their defense budgets. They are also shoring up their military and political alliances. They know the US is now limited on what it can do, and in the face of a more assertive and aggressive China, everyone is now responding to this new geopolitical environment.

U.S. Tops New Asia Power Ranking Followed By China

Lowy Institute's Asia Power Index 2023: (from first to tenth place) United States, China, Japan, India, Russia, Australia, South Korea, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand. 

 

ABC News Australia: United States remains Asia's most powerful country followed by China, analysis says 

New analysis has found the United States remains the most powerful country in Asia, while China's strength has been eroded by its strict COVID-19 lockdowns and border closures. 

The Lowy Institute foreign policy think tank has released its annual Asia Power Index, which analyses the heft of countries across the region. 

The 2022 report ranks Japan as the third most powerful country in Asia after the United States and China. India follows in fourth place, while Russia is ranked fifth, followed by Australia, South Korea, Singapore and Indonesia. 

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WNU Editor: China being ranked at second place is temporary. I would not be surprised that by next year, China will be ranked as number one. The study is here .... United States holds edge in Asia as China flounders with pandemic impact (Lowy Institute). 

U.S. Tops New Asia Power Ranking Followed By China

US tops China in power influence in Asia; ASEAN countries feature in top 10: Study -- CNA  

U.S. Tops New Asia Power Ranking “Due Largely To China's Setbacks” -- Forbes  

China's Power in Asia Diminished by Covid Zero, Lowy Institute Says -- Bloomberg  

ASEAN grows dynamic while China, Japan wane: Asia Power Index -- Nikkei Asia  

US remains top power in Asia-Pacific, but China ‘not far behind’ as it flexes military, diplomatic muscles: study -- SCMP 

The big picture: five lessons for five years of the Asia Power Index -- The Interpretor/Lowy Institute

Asia Is On Edge Over North Korea's Arms Development

Kim Jong Un and his daughter pose for a propaganda photo in front of an ICBM. Image: KCNA via REUTERS  

DW: North Korean arms development puts Asia on edge in 2023 

The regime in Pyongyang has started 2023 by threatening South Korea and announcing plans for more capable ballistic missiles and a larger nuclear arsenal. 

North Korea has begun 2023 with a series of missile launches and leader Kim Jong Un vowing to increase production of nuclear weapons and develop improved intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), according to statements carried by state-run news agency KCNA. 

Kim has also declared that South Korea is the North's "undoubted enemy" and "hell-bent on an impudent and dangerous arms build-up." 

South Korea has lived in the shadow of aggression from its northern neighbor since the 1950s. However, analysts have said the current threats and provocations emerging from Pyongyang should be a cause for deep concern.  

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WNU Editor: This type of commitment is putting everyone on edge, not only for those in Asia .... Kim Jong-un vows to ‘exponentially’ increase nuclear warhead production (The Guardian).

China's Economic Growth To Fall Behind The Rest Of Asia For First Time Since 1990

CNBC: For the first time in 30 years, Asia’s developing economies are set to grow faster than China’s, ADB says 

* The Asian Development Bank now sees growth among emerging Asian economies of 4.3% in 2022 and 4.9% in 2023. 

* The ADB expects the rest of developing Asia excluding China to grow by 5.3% in both 2022 and 2023, while it now expects China to grow by 3.3% in 2022, lower than revised forecasts released in July. 

* This will be the first time in more than three decades that the rest of developing Asia will grow faster than China, the report said. 

Asia’s developing economies may be showing signs of recovery, but the Asian Development Bank (ADB) cut its growth forecasts for them yet again — thanks to China’s prolonged zero-Covid policy. 

But this will be the first time in more than three decades that the rest of developing Asia will grow faster than China, the Manila-based lender said in its latest outlook report released Wednesday. 

“The last time was in 1990, when (China’s) growth slowed to 3.9% while GDP in the rest of the region expanded by 6.9%,” it said. 

The ADB now expects developing Asia — excluding China — to grow by 5.3% in 2022, and China by 3.3% in the same year. 

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WNU Editor: Covid lock-downs and the collapse of real-estate has harmed China's economy. But even with these setbacks, the projection is that China's economy will still grow 3.3% this year. 

The Asian Development Bank's report is here .... Economic Growth in People’s Republic of China to Moderate to 3.3% in 2022 (Asian Development Bank). 

China's Economic Growth To Fall Behind The Rest Of Asia For First Time Since 1990  

China growth to fall behind rest of Asia for first time since 1990 -- Financial Times 

China growth lags Asia-Pacific for first time in decades as World Bank cuts outlook -- The Guardian  

World Bank cuts China growth forecast as COVID-19, real-estate crunch take toll -- FOX News

World Bank slashes economic outlook for Asia over China slowdown -- Al Jazeera

World Bank Report: The Covid-19 Pandemic Has Pushed 38 Million Back Into Poverty In East Asia

The World Bank said the East Asia and the Pacific region this year is projected to grow by only 0.9 per cent, the lowest rate since 1967. Photo: Reuters

CNBC: East Asia poverty could rise for first time in 20 years due to the pandemic, World Bank says

* The number of people living in poverty in developing East Asian and Pacific countries could increase for the first time in 20 years, a World Bank forecast showed on Monday.
* The bank said as many as 38 million more people could fall below below the poverty line this year, including 33 million who would have escaped poverty if the Covid-19 shock didn’t happen.
* World Bank defined the poverty line as income of $5.50 a day.

SINGAPORE — The number of people living in poverty in developing East Asian and Pacific countries could increase for the first time in 20 years, as the coronavirus pandemic erased much of this year’s economic growth, a World Bank forecast showed on Monday.

The bank defined the poverty line as income of $5.50 a day. It said as many as 38 million more people could fall below that income level this year, including 33 million who would have escaped poverty if not for the Covid-19 shock.

That World Bank forecast was published in an economic update for the region, which includes China, Southeast Asian countries and the Pacific Islands, such as Fiji and Samoa. The report doesn’t include India and other South Asian countries.

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More News On The Covid-19 Pandemic Pushing 38 Million Back Into Poverty In East Asia

China’s economic growth to be 2 per cent in 2020 but coronavirus to keep Asia’s growth at lowest since 1967, World Bank warns -- SCMP/Reuters
Covid-19 pandemic will push millions across East Asia and the Pacific into poverty this year, says World Bank -- Straits Times
Coronavirus pushes 38m Asians below poverty line: World Bank -- Nikkei Asia Review
Pandemic sparks rise in Asian poverty for first time in 20 years -- The Telegraph
East Asia poverty to rise for first time in 20 years due to Covid-19 pandemic – World Bank -- RT
Southeast Asian Economies Face Generational Downturn from COVID-19 -- The Diplomat

In A Major US-China War, Whose Side Is Southeast Asia On?

South China Sea: In a US-China war, whose side is Southeast Asia on? Philippines, Singapore and Malaysia ponder the unthinkable

* Amid China’s military drills near Taiwan and fears that the South China Sea is becoming a proxy for Washington and Beijing’s deepening rivalry, Asian analysts are considering the worst-case scenario
* Caught between superpowers clashing in their own backyard, Southeast Asian nations might find staying neutral is not an option

Across Southeast Asia, scenario planning exercises by analysts and policymakers preparing for the unthinkable – a military clash between the world’s two largest economies in their backyard – has taken on added significance in recent weeks.

Tensions between the US and China, already fraught over trade, technology and the South China Sea, deepened as Beijing protested against Washington’s ties to Taipei and conducted military activities close to the self-ruled island last week.

The question “What will happen if a shooting war erupts between China and the US?” has played on the mind of Manila-based defence researcher Jose Antonio Custodio.

His answer, without hesitation, is: “The United States will go ahead and position their troops here.” The Tagalog word he uses is brutal: “sasagasaan” – run over. “The Americans will just run over the Philippine government.”

“This country can’t say, ‘leave us alone’ – exigencies of war will take over,” says Custodio, a non-resident fellow of the think tank Stratbase ADR Institute.

The Philippines suffers from a bad hand in dealing with a superpower war.

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WNU Editor: If given a choice, Southeast Asia will side with the US.

China, Russia, South Korea and Japan Nearly Went To War Last Month

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Sebastien Roblin, National Interest: World War III (Almost): China, Russia, South Korea and Japan Nearly Went to War

What stopped this disaster?

Aerial encounters between bombers and patrol planes and jet fighters are common, though sometimes tense occurrences as fighter pilots sometimes seek to intimidate the crews of bombers or spy planes with close, dangerous flybys. However, it’s rare today for probing bombers or spy planes to actually violate another country’s airspace—and even rarer for fighters to open fire during an intercept, even if only in warning.

The morning dawned peacefully enough on July 22 as Chinese and Russian warplanes soared towards a rendezvous point over the Sea of Japan for what was to be their first-ever joint patrol.

As Russia’s defense ministry put it, this was intended to deepen “Russian-Chinese relations within our all-encompassing partnership, of further increasing cooperation between our armed forces, and of perfecting their capabilities to carry out joint actions, and of strengthening global strategic security.”

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WNU Editor: Below (in chronological order) is what happened ....

South Korea Fired ‘Warning Shots’ At A Russian Military Aircraft Aftr It ‘Violated Airspace’ (July 23, 2019).
Warplanes From South Korea, Russia, China, And Japan Were Involved In Yesterday's Air Confrontation (July 23, 2019)
Russia And South Korea Dispute Yesterday's Airspace 'Intrusion' (July 24, 2019)
Chinese And Russian Warplanes Are Trying To Poke Holes In The U.S.-Japan-South Korea Security System (August 16, 2019)

Chinese And Russian Warplanes Are Trying To Poke Holes In The U.S.-Japan-South Korea Security System

*Approximate †Administered by South Korea as Dokdo; claimed by Japan as Takeshima **As of July 30. Sources: Xinhua; defense ministries of China, South Korea and Japan; Japanese foreign ministry; staff reports

Wall Street Journal: Chinese, Russian Warplanes Test U.S. Patience in Skies Near South Korea

‘China and Russia are trying to poke holes in the U.S.-Japan-South Korea security system,’ ex-official says

SEOUL—Chinese and Russian warplanes have increasingly nosed around and veered into South Korea’s airspace, conducting close patrols that allow Beijing and Moscow to test the air defenses of the U.S. and its allies in the region.

The aerial campaigns come as Beijing vows to strengthen its military alliance with Moscow, heightening tensions across the Asia-Pacific region as the U.S. and China jockey for power there.

The Korean Peninsula is once again providing a convenient stage for military provocations, as it did during the Cold War.

The Chinese and Russian jets fly near the coastlines of South Korea, a key Washington ally that hosts the largest U.S. overseas military base as well as a U.S. missile-defense system that has drawn Beijing’s ire. While many of the air maneuvers don’t violate international law, according to Seoul’s military, they challenge Washington’s patience.

It was much less common for Beijing or Moscow to conduct such flights earlier this decade, South Korean officials say, adding the uptick that began in recent years appears to reflect a marked policy change for both countries.

The flights around Korea hit an inflection point last month when a Russian command-and-control plane—flying with Chinese nuclear-capable bombers—darted into South Korean airspace, which by international convention extends 12 nautical miles beyond a country’s coastline. Seoul responded by deploying 18 jet fighters and firing hundreds of machine-gun rounds.

Until the incident last month, the warplanes’ forays hadn’t pierced South Korea-claimed territory. But they have breached South Korea’s self-designated air-defense zone, which extends scores of miles further into the surrounding waters.

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WNU Editor: The timing for these Chinese-Russian probes is perfect. There are currently many problems in the South Korean-Japanese relationship .... Is The Military-Intelligence Pact Between US, South Korea And Japan At Risk Of Collapsing? (August 11, 2019).

One observation about the above article. The above WSJ article is claiming that Chinese and Russian warplanes are increasingly nosing around and veering into South Korea’s airspace. But according to the above graphs, these patrols have decreased in 2019.

Warplanes From South Korea, Russia, China, And Japan Were Involved In Yesterday's Air Confrontation

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CNN: Warplanes from four countries face off in Asian confrontation

Warplanes from four countries faced off Tuesday in a chaotic and unprecedented confrontation above a small, disputed island off the coast of South Korea and Japan.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff issued a statement claiming they had fired more than 300 warning shots at a Russian A-50 command and control military aircraft early Tuesday morning after it had twice violated the country's airspace, the first such incident between the countries.

Moscow furiously denied Seoul's account of the encounter, claiming that South Korean military jets had dangerously intercepted two of its bombers during a planned flight over neutral waters.

But in a statement Tuesday afternoon, Japan's Ministry of Defense backed up South Korea's claims, saying the A-50 had flown over the islands and that Tokyo had scrambled fighters to intercept.

In a further complication, both South Korea and Japan said that two Chinese H-6 bombers had joined the Russian military aircraft on sorties through the region as well.

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WNU Editor: It looks like this was a joint Russian - Chinese exercise, and I would have to say that this was a deliberate provocation to test both South Korean and Japanese air defense, and do they work together .... Russian aircraft violates S. Korea's airspace above East Sea twice (Korea Herald). I am not surprised that Japan got involved .... Japan scrambles fighters to intercept Russian and Chinese planes (Reuters).

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong: Region May Have To Choose Between China And US

Leaders posing for a photo at the Asean-US Summit yesterday. With Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong are (from left) Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, United States Vice-President Mike Pence, Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, Indonesian President Joko Widodo and Laotian Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith.ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG

SCMP: Singapore leader Lee Hsien Loong warns region may have to choose between China and US

* Prime minister says ‘circumstances may come when Asean may have to choose one or the other’ as he wraps up summit in city state
* US Vice-President Mike Pence tells gathering ‘we all agree that empire and aggression has no place in the Indo-Pacific’

Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Thursday warned that Southeast Asian nations may be forced to choose between the rival visions of China and the United States, while US Vice-President Mike Pence said aggression should not be tolerated.

“If you are friends with two countries which are on different sides, sometimes it is possible to get along with both, sometimes it’s more awkward when you try to get along with both,” Lee said as he wrapped up the annual Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit.

“I think it’s very desirable for us not to have to take sides, but the circumstances may come when Asean may have to choose one or the other. I am hoping that it’s not coming soon.”

Lee’s remarks highlighted a deep sense of unease in the region, where concern is growing about being caught in the middle of escalating economic and security rivalry between the two powers.

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WNU Editor:You do not want to be dependent on China.

More News On Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's Concerns That The Region May Have To Choose Between China And US

Singapore PM says China-US rivalry ‘awkward’ -- Inquirer.net/AP
Singapore Fears Asean May Need to Choose Between U.S., China -- Bloomberg
Asean may have to take sides one day, but PM Lee hopes it ‘does not happen soon’ -- Today Online
US, China rivalry challenging entwined Asia-Pacific region -- AP

These Are Asia's Border Disputes

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Business Insider: This epic map shows the border disputes that could tear Asia apart

As the US makes a military and strategic "pivot to Asia," it is entering a highly complex and fluid geopolitical environment.

China's territorial disputes with its neighbors in the South China Sea have become a major point of contention in the region and maybe even a source of future violent conflict — and the rising superpower is far from the only country in the area with conflicts on its borders.

This map shows that the borders in Asia aren't nearly as fixed as they might seem. China and India, the two most populous countries in the world, have numerous simmering boundary disputes. So do regional powers like Russia and Japan, along with more peripheral players in central Asia and the South China Sea.

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WNU Editor: The above article is from 2016, but it is still relevant today.

It Appears That Asia Is Bending To China's Wishes On A Code Of Conduct In The South China Sea

Chinese navy submarines and warships during an international fleet review to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army Navy in Qingdao, Shandong province, April 23, 2009. Reuters

VOA: Asia Code for Sea Peace Expected to Tilt Toward China

TAIPEI — A code of conduct aimed at avoiding mishaps in the contested South China Sea is likely to sidestep concerns that are offensive to the chief claimant, Beijing, analysts forecast.

China and 10 Southeast Asian Nations agreed at summits in Manila this month to start negotiations on a code of conduct for the resource-rich sea, where sovereignty is contested by six governments.

Beijing claims about 90 percent of the sea from its south coast to the island of Borneo. It has alarmed rival claimants, including Taiwan and four Southeast Asian states, since 2010 with its construction of artificial islands for fighter jets and radar systems.

Other claimants also value investment and development aid from the $11.2 trillion Chinese economy, making it harder for them to speak out.

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WNU Editor: China has the wealth and opportunity that everyone in Asia wants. China is going to get its way (more or less).

The Military Balance In Asia

AFP graphic showing active armed forces numbers and military expenditure of major powers in northeast Asia pic.twitter.com/JNUY5P7SH8

— AFP news agency (@AFP) September 26, 2017

A Look At The Military Balance Of Power In East Asia

DW: North Korea crisis - Which country has the strongest military in the region?

Tensions continue to run high on the Korean Peninsula due to North Korea's bellicose posture and increased nervousness among its neighbors. DW takes a look at the military strengths of the main players in the region.

Aggressive rhetoric and actions on the Korean Peninsula over the past several months have raised concerns about a potential conflagration. The US government under President Donald Trump has put an end to the "strategic patience" policy pursued by the previous Barack Obama administration. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has stressed that the military option remains on the table. This month, Washington has once again tightened its already stringent sanctions against the reclusive regime in Pyongyang.

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WNU Editor: On paper .... China is the 800lb gorilla.

Leaders Of S. Korea, China, And Japan Hold Their First Summit In 3 Years

VOA: China, Japan, S. Korea Agree to End Diplomatic Stand-Off

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - In Seoul Sunday leaders from China, Japan and South Korea met for the first time in three-and-a-half years to restart stalled regional cooperation and end their diplomatic standoff over the contentious issues that divide them.

"Through trilateral cooperation I believe that we will contribute to the peace and prosperity and security of not only our three countries but the region and the international community." said South Korean President Park Geun-hye at a news conference following the summit.

President Park hosted Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for talks that all three leaders described as in-depth and frank.

More News On Today's S. Korea, China, Japan Summit

Japan, China and South Korea 'restore' fraught ties -- BBC
China, Japan and South Korea Pledge to Expand Trade at Joint Meeting -- NYT
S. Korea, China, Japan put hostility aside at rare summit -- AFP
China, Japan, South Korea pledge economic cooperation at first summit in over three years -- Reuters
Japan, S. Korea, China Set Aside Tensions to Pledge Cooperation -- Bloomberg
Different agendas visible at 'landmark' summit -- Nikkei Asian Review
China, Japan, South Korea Skirt Sensitive Subjects -- WSJ
S. Korea, Japan, China vow to make efforts for peace by facing up to history -- Yonhap News

China, Japan, South Korea To Hold Their First Summit In Years

Wall Street Journal: Uncertainty Clouds Trilateral Asian Summit

Details over meeting between the leaders of China, Japan and South Korea are in flux days before its start, hinting at tensions.

Days before the leaders of China, Japan and South Korea are set to gather in Seoul, uncertainty over the details of their meetings hint at persistent diplomatic strains between the countries.

All three nations agree that some events will take place, but exactly between whom and about what still wasn’t settled on Monday.

China’s government said on Monday that its premier, Li Keqiang, will travel to Seoul on Saturday to take part in a three-way meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Park Geun-hye.

WNU Editor: I am not optimistic on these talks. The differences are many, and territorial disputes are going to cloud the discussions.

More News On The Upcoming China, Japan, South Korea Summit

China, Japan, South Korea to hold first summit in three years -- Reuters
China, Japan, South Korea to Discuss Trade Deal at Seoul Summit -- Bloomberg
It’s Official: China’s Premier Li to Attend the China-Japan-South Korea Trilateral -- The Diplomat
Talks between China, Japan and S Korea a major step -- Asia One
News Analysis: China-Japan-ROK meeting resumption reflects Beijing's neighborhood commitment -- Xinhua Nwes Agency

The Bloodiest Wars In Asia

Chinese Civil War. Clockwise from the top: Communist troops at the Battle of Siping, Muslim soldiers of the NRA, Mao Zedong in the 1930s, Chiang Kai-shek inspecting soldiers, CCP general Su Yu investigating the front field shortly before the Menglianggu Campaign. Wikipedia

Kyle Mizokami, National Interest.: Asia's 5 Most Lethal Wars of All Time

"Today, Asia is in one of its most peaceful periods in modern history...It hasn’t always been this way."

Today, Asia is in one of its most peaceful periods in modern history. All current political posturing aside, Asia today is a peaceful place where economic growth continues at a largely brisk pace. Hundreds of millions have been lifted out of poverty in the last four decades, and in China alone, the new middle class is larger than the entire population of the United States.

It hasn’t always been this way. As late as the 1970s, war raged across Southeast Asia, and virtually every country in the region has been touched by war since 1945.

WNU Editor: In sheer numbers .... the wars in Asia have taken an incredible number of lives. Quoting General Douglas MacArthur and later US Defense Secretary Gates .... “Any future defense secretary who advises the president to again send a big American land army into Asia (including Africa and the Middle East) should 'have his head examined'.

Indeed.

Foreign Ministers From China, Japan and South Korea Meet In Seoul To Discuss Improving Ties And Reducing Tensions

BBC: China, Japan and South Korea hold renewed talks

The foreign ministers of China, Japan and South Korea have met for their first talks in three years.

The meeting in Seoul is thought to have focused on ways to ease tensions over territorial and diplomatic disputes.

The ministers agreed to organise a "trilateral summit" for their leaders "at the earliest convenient time".

The three states have strong economic ties but relations still suffer from unresolved issues dating back to Japan's actions in World War Two.

South Korea's Yun Byung-se welcomed Fumio Kishida from Japan and Wang Yi from China to South Korea's capital on Saturday.

WNU Editor: They have their work cut out for them.

More News On The Foreign Ministers From China, Japan and South Korea Meeting In Seoul To Discuss Improving Ties And Reducing Tensions

Chinese, Japanese, South Korean Foreign Ministers Seek to Ease Tensions -- WSJ
Chinese, Japanese and South Korean Ministers to Resume Three-Way Talks -- NYT
China, Japan and South Korea meet to improve frosty relations -- Euronews
China, Japan, South Korea hold first FM talks for three years -- AFP
China, Japan, South Korea Agree to Seek Earliest Possible Summit -- Bloomberg
FMs from China, S. Korea, Japan agree to holding leaders' summit soon -- CCTV
Top South Korea, Japan, China envoys agree to work for a summit soon -- Reuters

A Look At Asia'sArmies

The Five Most Deadly Armies of Asia -- Michael Peck, National Interest

Some of the world's most powerful armies reside in Asia. Which is the best?

Which Asian armies are the best in the region? Even if you get past the nationalist chest thumping, it's difficult to choose. What does having the "best" army mean for a hegemonic regional power like China, versus an island-nation like Japan, versus warring states on the mainland like the two Koreas? Does “best” mean the army that is most proficient or lavishly equipped? Or is it the one that most fits the needs of its country?

But that's what makes Asia so fascinating. It has a variety of capable armies, but capable in different ways. Here are the top five in East and Southwest Asia:

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My Comment: Asia is experiencing an arms race .... and I expect this trend to not only continue .... but to escalate.