The End of the World is Just the Beginning: Mapping the Collapse of Globalization

by Peter Zeihan

Second, there is no obvious leader within Southeast Asia. Singapore is the richest, but also the smallest. Indonesia is the biggest, but among the poorest. The Thais are the most “with it,” unless they’re having one of their periodic military coups.* The Vietnamese are the most organized, but that’s because their government is borderline dictatorial. This isn’t simply an issue of asking who speaks for the region, but also, who can maintain sea-lane security? That task is largely beyond the locals. Luckily, there’s help at hand for this as well. Japan’s navy is very long-range capable—blue-water in the vernacular of defense-minded wonks—and could patrol the region fairly easily. It’s critical to note that this is not the age of Imperial Japan. There will be no imperial invasions. Most of Southeast Asia may be a generation or two behind the Japanese in terms of economic development, but all the countries that matter are fully industrialized. This would be a defense partnership, not an occupation.