Taking cue from Ukraine war, China’s neighbours arm themselves

The region is gradually getting into a conflict zone. For instance, Taiwan is facing an existential threat from the Chinese regime, which has planned an invasion in the coming years.

Military operations from the Russian troops in Ukraine has spooked China's neighbouring nations as they see a pattern in it. Not just the Chinese regime is thinking of following what Russia did in Ukraine and repeating it over Taiwan, China's neighbours have also learnt a lesson that they cannot rely on other nations, instead prepare for the eventualities.

The first step towards preparing themselves against the Chinese designs is to arm themselves with the advanced weaponry. Most of the neighbouring nations of China are now buying defence products that could help them stand against the totalitarian Communist regime that keeps on bullying small nations in and around the South China Sea.

According to the South China Morning Post, the likely outcome of the Ukraine crisis in the East Asia region is that it has further fuelled the already intensive arms race. The small nations that were already worried and feeling insecure about Chinese expansionism are now facing existential threat. To counter that, they are now stepping up their military expansion and preparations.

Exacerbated tensions in China's neighbourhood

For over three decades, especially since the emergence of China in the global space, South China Sea and the countries falling in its periphery have not seen peace. There have been conflicts in the Chinese borders. The region is gradually getting into a conflict zone. For instance, Taiwan is facing an existential threat from the Chinese regime which has planned an invasion in the coming years.

Even study carried out by the Institute of International Relations of Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences shows that the Ukraine war has significantly altered the region's security environment. The Ukraine crisis has created a new round of security dilemmas. Now, Japan, South Korea and India too have started leaning towards the US as they see China as the major danger.

Countering China 'alliance'

The study also talks about the major drivers that are forcing the neighbours to find alliances amidst the danger of Chinese expansionism. One such alliance has come in the form of QUAD where Japan, India, Australia and the US are trying to counter China in the Indo-Pacific region. When China has started increasing its defence budget, it's natural that the neighbourhood is worried.

Earlier, the US had the largest defence budget that used to be more than the total sum of the next 12-13 nations' defence budgets. However, now China is filling the gap and spending quite a lot. Currently, China's military expenditure is the second largest with $229.6 billion.