Washington’s call for Asian allies to spend 3.5 per cent of GDP on defence is untenable given competing needs in infrastructure, healthcare and education, analysts say.
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Increase defence spending to counter China? Why US’ call is ‘difficult to sell’ in Southeast Asia
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The US is urging its Asian allies to increase their defence spending to 3.5% of GDP to counter China's growing influence, but analysts say this is a difficult sell due to competing needs in infrastructure, healthcare, and education. The call is being met with skepticism in Southeast Asia, where countries have different priorities. The US-China rivalry is putting pressure on Asian nations to take a stance, but they are hesitant to commit to significant increases in defence spending.