Book Details

An event outside the Asia Pacific region—the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq—was the single most important development in 2003 affecting the security outlook and perceptions in the Asia Pacific. This was due to the central role of U.S. power and policy in the security atmosphere of this region, as well as to the widespread criticism and opposition engendered in the region by the U.S. action. Simultaneously, a serious crisis on the Korean Peninsula and renewed terrorist attacks in Southeast Asia reminded the nations of the region of the interconnectedness of security and the rapidity with which threats such as proliferation and terrorism—as well as non-traditional threats such as epidemic diseases—can spread to and affect any country. The more encouraging side of the regional security outlook, however, is that, in part in response to the various common challenges, common purpose and practical cooperation both at the major power level and among the smaller states is probably better now than at any time in the previous fifty years. China’s growing role and responsible conduct are particularly noteworthy, as is the healthy state of the U.S.-Chinese relationship.

The Asia Pacific Security Outlook, now in its eighth annual edition, provides assessments of the security environment, defense issues and regional and global cooperation from the perspectives of countries that participate in the ASEAN Regional Forum. The 2004 edition also presents theme-oriented essays on major sub-regional problems: the North Korean nuclear threat in Northeast Asia, terrorism in Southeast Asia, and the tortuous search for paths to peace in South Asia. Based on the work and expertise of a multinational team of security analysts and written for generalists and specialists alike, the Outlook is the most concise and authentic comparative work in this field.

The Asia Pacific Security Outlook is a signature product of the Asia Pacific Agenda Project, designed to promote thoughtful dialogue on key policy issues. The Outlook is codirected by Charles E. Morrison, President, East-West Center, United States; Jusuf Wanandi, Founding Member, ASEAN Institutes for Strategic and International Studies; and Yamamoto Tadashi, President, Japan Center for International Exchange.

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