East Asian naval developments - sailing into rough seas

Naval programs are back on the agenda in East Asia, after a lull in defence spending in the wake of the Asian financial crisis. The region is facing increased tensions at sea unless there is a new focus on maritime confidence-building measures. The region does, however, need to tread warily with naval cooperation, lest it stimulate controversy and tension, while gradually moving to exploit those opportunities for building confidence at sea. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.