ABSTRACT
In the context of the general post-Cold War reduction in arms spending in Europe, the Asia-Pacific region has become an especially crucial export market for arms manufacturers. Within this vast region, South-east Asia is particularly important despite its comparatively small arms market (around US$3 billion annually), as it is open and competitive compared with the captive markets in Japan and the Republic of Korea (South Korea) (both dominated by the USA), and India and the People’s Republic of China (dominated by Russia). Moreover, with its general economic development, strategic waterways (especially the Straits of Malacca) and the desire by states in the region to modernize their armed forces, South-east Asia presents an interesting case study of the promise and potential of an emerging market for the global arms industry.
