BY JED JALECO DEL ROSARIO
RECENTLY, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba called for the creation of an “Asian NATO.”
For reference, NATO or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is a defensive alliance for European countries and the United States originally crafted against the United Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR). Today, NATO serves as a deterrent against the Russia, China, Iran alliance. An Asian NATO would effectively function to deter China and North Korea, possibly the Russians as well should they decide to join in an Asian war.
Taiwan, Australia, the United States and Japan are almost certain to join this group, with South Korea possibly joining depending on the situation with North Korea. No doubt that many leaders agree with Ishiba, but I think there are just as many who would also disagree.
India, for example, has explicitly stated that they have concerns about an Asian version of NATO. No surprise there. The Indians have often preferred to be neutral, or at least, are wary of getting entangled with wars outside their region.
Even worse for Ishida, the US also does not want an Asian NATO, pointing out differences between European and Asian militaries and their different strategic priorities. It’s also possible that the US does not want to scare the Chinese and push them to escalate even further.
As for Southeast Asia, an Asian NATO will only complicate things, forcing ASEAN members to pick sides. Some Southeast Asian countries, for example, may possibly join the new group, with Indonesia, Vietnam and our own country as the most likely candidates, while Myanmar and other China aligned countries will side with China.
This is by no means certain, of course, but if the regional situation gets worse, countries will have to make a choice.
Personally, I think an Asian NATO is inevitable. With or without a United States, I think alliances will inevitably have to form in our part of the world.
The big question for Asian countries is which alliances they should join, because it seems neutrality is no longer a luxury that countries in our region can afford./PN
