The region’s business leaders have been unable to prevent deteriorating foreign relations from harming their interests. By contrast, military lobbying now deeply influences foreign and defense policies – witness China’s double-digit increase in defense spending and rising US arms sales in the region.
1997年亚洲金融危机所带来的经济相互依存深化并未产生和平与合作的政治动力。东亚商业领袖一直无法避免外交关系恶化影响自身利益。相反，军事游说目前深刻地影响着外交和国防政策——中国以两位数增长的国防支出和节节攀升的美国东亚地区军售就是明证。