Trends and strains

This Miscellany, product of the Interna tional Institute for Asia Pacific Studies, endeavours to facilitate better compre hension of the geopolitical and politico strategic issues and problems dogging the Asia Pacific region. Giving insight into the approaches to security we are told how defence budgets of the countries of the region have been rising, how Japan is engaged in its ambitious programme of military modernisation while continu ously pursuing its role as an international trader. We see how Japan today controls one-third of world's banking and how it has become the world's biggest creditor nation. In this scenerio it is shown, very succinctly why it is necessary to enter into regional economic cooperation to mitigate the imbalances. On the other. side of the frame is the picture showing in detail how deeply the colonial power laid the roots of mass poverty in India. This rebuts the claim of those who put the blame on the huge population of India for the malaise. Side by side, a long chapter gives a lucid account of the days of Gen. Zia's regime in Pakistan, his ideas and policies on ethnic issues and the damage all that has done to that country's eco nomic development. Also provided is an interesting exposure of Vietnam's percep tions of the Soviet Union and its policies. Besides, to these is appended a summary of observations and recommodations of the South Commission shedding further light on this region. This study should help generate profitable discussion in aca demic circles.