ABSTRACT
Chapter 5 (“The Geostrategic Environment”) examines the second dimension of “interactive arming”: it is an interactive process that must involve two or more actors as states are reacting to their broader geostrategic environment rather than a single adversary. It can be a one-way or two-way dynamic due to the gradation of the capabilities and resources of the actors involved. This can range from multiples of mutually exclusive pairs to a more complex system. This proposition is based on the advantages or disadvantages conferred by geography—a crucial determinant of the way its policy-makers think about strategy and about the choices among weapon systems. As all countries have to constantly develop their armed forces in response to perceived changes in their strategic environments, military modernisation is inherently an attempt to counter or effect changes in the regional balance of power, maintain a desired status quo or set of circumstances or to address a perceived asymmetry. The network of relationships that emerges Asia reflect multilateral dynamics in which some relationships are reciprocal and others are not, while some relationships are relatively more asymmetric than others. However, all arming involves interaction. Overall, “interactive arming” in Asia is largely influenced by China’s rapid military transformation and assertion of its territorial claims, and the concurrent apprehension by US allies and partners over American commitments to its Asian security guarantees.
