Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-xbtfd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-17T15:02:12.005Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

INTRODUCTION

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 October 2015

Get access

Summary

The year 2002 opened with expectations of economic rebound in Southeast Asia after a year of generally sluggish growth but by the second quarter it was becoming clear that the three traditional engines that drove regional economic growth were spluttering — the U.S. economy did not sustain the hoped-for growth; Japan continued to be mired in recession; and Europe was experiencing economic slowdown. The political and economic dynamics were further complicated by the spectre of international terrorism, which acquired strong regional resonance after the devastating Bali bombings in October. The Bali bombings refocussed attention on the connections between regional and global networks of terror. While not all regional governments necessarily shared the same domestic concern with Muslim militancy or radicalism, the challenge of resurgent political Islam and the intensified religiosity among Muslim populations in the region could not be dismissed.

Fortuitously the external security environment of Southeast Asia remained relatively stable during this time. The new global challenge posed by terrorism resulted in a positive shift in relations among the major external powers — most notably between the United States and China. The threat of international terrorism became a point of overlapping though not necessarily congruent major power security interests. It also tempered somewhat, especially after the Bali bombings, regional differences towards security co-operation with the United States. But differences in domestic political circumstances did complicate attempts at a coherent regional response. If 2002 began with regional anticipation of the political fallout of the war against international terrorism, it ended with nervous tension over the imminence of war in Iraq.

The year also saw ASEAN continuing to address the sense of drift. Persisting economic strains, the pressure of domestic politics, and a new intramural competitiveness also had their negative effects on certain bilateral relations. Malaysia–Singapore differences centred on the pricing of Malaysian water supplied to Singapore and rival claims over Pedra Branca/Pulau Batu Putih were among the irritants that resurfaced during the year.

Type
Chapter
Information
Publisher: ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute
Print publication year: 2003

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

  • INTRODUCTION
  • Book: Southeast Asian Affairs 2003
  • Online publication: 21 October 2015
Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

  • INTRODUCTION
  • Book: Southeast Asian Affairs 2003
  • Online publication: 21 October 2015
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • INTRODUCTION
  • Book: Southeast Asian Affairs 2003
  • Online publication: 21 October 2015
Available formats
×