Russian Arms Transfers to East Asia in the 1990s

Strategic planners in Russia and other countries are redefining their national interests and security strategies in East Asia. In the political, military and business spheres, Russia views the region with both hope and apprehension. While there is a great potential for international cooperation, the region is fraught with conflicts and tensions which could pose challenges or even threats to Russia's security.

The transfer of arms and military technology is one of the main instruments of Russia's security strategy in East Asia. This research report documents Russia's arms exports to these countries and examines the motivations behind its policies and decisions. It presents the legal and institutional frameworks for arms transfer decisions in Russia in the 1990s, from the establishment of the Russian Federation in 1991, when economic considerations began to prevail over the strategic and ideological considerations of the Soviet era. The security implications of Russian arms transfers are discussed in a chapter that examines Russia's bilateral, regional and global relations with the other centers of power in the region—China, the Association of South-East Asian Nations, Japan and the United States