ID | 119085 |
Title Proper | Asia in 2012 |
Other Title Information | the best of a bad year? |
Language | ENG |
Author | Dittmer, Lowell |
Publication | 2013. |
Summary / Abstract (Note) | PERHAPS ONLY A TRUE BELIEVER in the alleged Mayan forecast of an end of the world on December 21 could be truly enthusiastic about the past year. Estimated economic (gross domestic product, or GDP) growth in Asia dropped beginning in late 2011and continuing into 2012; the World Bank's latest estimate forecast 7.2% for developing East Asia, the lowest rate for the region since the 1997-98 Asian Financial Crisis. The economies of Central and South Asia grew even more slowly. Politically the region was on tenterhooks as con?icting territorial claims, staunchly upheld by their respective advocates since (at least) 2009, unleashed nationalist riots and escalating bilateral brinkmanship. Meanwhile, the region's high-tech arms race against unnamed threats continued, headlined by China's launch of its ?rst aircraft carrier, the Liaoning(neeĀ“ Varyag), and by North Korea's successful launch of a satellite into polar orbit-although the so-called weather satellite apparently failed to function, the obvious point was not weather but to demonstrate Pyongyang's ability to hit North America with a nuclear payload. Pakistan, albeit deeply immersed in Afghanistan's 10-year war on terror (reportedly on both sides), is busy constructing a full-?edged nuclear deterrent-despite a third year of devastating ?oods. |
`In' analytical Note | Asian Survey Vol. 53, No.1; Jan-Feb 2012: p.1-11 |
Journal Source | Asian Survey Vol. 53, No.1; Jan-Feb 2013: p.1-11 |
Key Words | Asia - 2012 ; Asian Financial Crisis - 1997-1998 ; China ; North Korea ; East Asia ; Wrold Bank ; Global Recession ; Latin America ; Africa ; Afghanistan ; NATO ; United States |