The Impact of Disruptive Technologies in Northeast Asia
Abstract
Relations among countries in Northeast Asia continue to be affected by mutual suspicions, territorial and maritime disputes, and North Korea’s unpredictable behavior, to say nothing of China’s renewed assertions and US military presence in the region. Disruptive technologies could have considerable impact on strategic and tactical calculations of stakeholders in these security challenges, increasing the probability that endemic tensions could escalate to incidents, crises, and even armed conflict. The United States and China are both pursuing development of a full range of disruptive technologies, including hypersonic vehicles, cyber warfare capabilities, anti-satellite capabilities, and unmanned systems with state-of-the-art robotics technology. Simultaneously, emerging perceptions that the United States is losing its capacity as a security guarantor in the region has caused uncertainties in Japan and South Korea regarding the reliability of US defense commitments. The increased risk of conflict makes it urgent that political and military leaders in these nations consider how disruptive technologies may affect the stability of Northeast Asia’s security environment. The Stimson Center proposes to hold Track-2 dialogues with experts from China, Japan, and South Korea, in order to assess the impact of potential proliferation of disruptive technologies for US military strategy in Northeast Asia. By publishing a report on these dialogues, Stimson aims to raise public awareness of the growing risk of disruptive technologies and its potential impact on US alliances and regional security in Northeast Asia.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Jul 19, 2016
- Source ID
- N002441610031
Entities
People
- Yuki Tatsumi
Organizations
- Defense Threat Reduction Agency
- Henry L. Stimson Center