ABSTRACT
In this chapter, recent maritime conflicts and disputes are drawn upon to evaluate the increasingly rapid modernization of national naval powers in East Asia from a new standpoint. There are four puzzling questions relating to regional naval modernization in East Asia:
What factors are causing so many nations of the region to introduce such ambitious naval modernization despite the differing threat perceptions that shape their national interests?
What kind of naval power is needed? The particular competencies that they aspire to will naturally require differing objectives and methods of implementing their modernization programs.
What consequences will result from the naval modernization – will it lead to naval arms races or to naval cooperation?
What are the future implications for regional maritime security, and which research issues are therefore the most relevant?
