China and Trump factor will heat up Asia-Pacific arms race, observers warn

The arms race in the Asia-Pacific will intensify this year, observers believe, with several governments in the region – including US treaty allies Japan and the Philippines – planning big boosts to their defence budgets. The aim is to both counter China and to hedge against uncertainties over incoming US president Donald Trump, they added. The Japanese government’s 2025 budget approved last Friday included record defence spending of 8.7 trillion yen (US$55 billion), despite recent signs of a thaRead More