Very Interesting: The Way Ahead In East Asian Cooperation?

e.sinchew-i.com

Another problem we must worry about is the continuing threat of extremist terrorism, and particularly the issue of maritime security.

Some 50,000 ships sail through the Strait of Malacca and Strait of Singapore every year. Although the littoral states have primary responsibility for ensuring maritime security in the strait, we need the assistance of the US, Japan and China, and indeed of all major interested parties.

Japan has taken the lead in focussing global attention on the problem of maritime security. It has indicated its intention to help ASEAN, in particular Indonesia, build capacity and capability to ensure the security of major sea lanes in the archipelago. This is an important contribution to regional security.

The problems mentioned earlier in the piece include Taiwan, North Korean, Sino-US relations and Sino-Japanese relations. Read it all, it's interesting.