This week, the Philippines added its the newest ship to its navy, BRP Ramon Alcaraz, making it the latest Asian nations seeking to upgrade its navy in the face of an increasingly aggressive China and regional territory disputes.
Previously the USCGC Dallas built in 1968, the Philippines government purchased the decommissioned naval vessel from the U.S. after it had been stripped of most of its weapons and sensors. However, it is only the second vessel of its kind in the Philippine navy, and is intended to increase the country's surveillance capabilities. The purchase and deployment of the vessel is part of a quasi-arms race in the Asia Pacific region. Tensions between China and a host of other nations over territorial disputes have been increasing in recent years. China regularly has maritime disputes with Japan, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Taiwan.
On Tuesday, the Japanese navy unveiled its largest warship since the World War II. Recently, images have surfaced on the internet of China’s supposed second aircraft carrier. By 2021, IHS forecasts Asia-Pacific defense budgets to surpass North America’s. Last year, Asia defense spending surpassed NATO European members’ defense spending. Not to be left behind, the Philippine President announced earlier this year that his country will embark on an ambitious military upgrade to the tune of $1.8 billion.
Asia-Pacific and security experts differ over whether this is a classic ‘security dilemma’ dynamic or not. A security dilemma essentially occurs when one country increases its defenses and thereby creates insecurity in the minds of another country’s leaders, who then increase their own defenses. This dynamic then spirals out of control into an arms race and ultimately conflict. However, others disagree, and argue that region's economic prosperity has been the underlying cause to increase defense budgets. These analysts posit that any country with increasing purchasing power and budgets would increase defense spending.
Video by Al Jazeera English.
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Video Wednesday: Asia Increases Naval Defense Budgets Amidst Territory Disputes
August 7, 2013
This week, the Philippines added its the newest ship to its navy, BRP Ramon Alcaraz, making it the latest Asian nations seeking to upgrade its navy in the face of an increasingly aggressive China and regional territory disputes.
Previously the USCGC Dallas built in 1968, the Philippines government purchased the decommissioned naval vessel from the U.S. after it had been stripped of most of its weapons and sensors. However, it is only the second vessel of its kind in the Philippine navy, and is intended to increase the country's surveillance capabilities. The purchase and deployment of the vessel is part of a quasi-arms race in the Asia Pacific region. Tensions between China and a host of other nations over territorial disputes have been increasing in recent years. China regularly has maritime disputes with Japan, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Taiwan.
On Tuesday, the Japanese navy unveiled its largest warship since the World War II. Recently, images have surfaced on the internet of China’s supposed second aircraft carrier. By 2021, IHS forecasts Asia-Pacific defense budgets to surpass North America’s. Last year, Asia defense spending surpassed NATO European members’ defense spending. Not to be left behind, the Philippine President announced earlier this year that his country will embark on an ambitious military upgrade to the tune of $1.8 billion.
Asia-Pacific and security experts differ over whether this is a classic ‘security dilemma’ dynamic or not. A security dilemma essentially occurs when one country increases its defenses and thereby creates insecurity in the minds of another country’s leaders, who then increase their own defenses. This dynamic then spirals out of control into an arms race and ultimately conflict. However, others disagree, and argue that region's economic prosperity has been the underlying cause to increase defense budgets. These analysts posit that any country with increasing purchasing power and budgets would increase defense spending.
Video by Al Jazeera English.
