Cold War II?

For the better part of a century the world sat on a constant brink of destruction; the likes of which man had never before known; The Cold War. Finally ending with the decline of the Soviet Union we were free from this ever looming threat to our continued existence. But has this evil re-raised its head?

With the latest test of nuclear weapons having been conducted by North Korea; this may indeed arise. This situation may cause other countries in the region to adopt their own nuclear arms policy. Including; Japan, China, and Taiwan.

"This immediately affects the calculations of South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, all of whom might decide that they need to have their own independent nuclear arsenal as well," said international security analyst Joseph Cirincione of the Center for American Progress. "If North Korea gets away with this, Iran will be encouraged to go forward."

source: cnn.com

Will this start a new arms race?

Lets address afew concerns first.

Taiwan is backed by the US. Taiwan wants its independence from China. China considers Taiwan to be part of the mainland and is against Taiwans seccession.
Taiwan only needs an excuse to start an arms race for a possible war for independence with china. Look at this:

People told to unite in face of possible war with China

By Maubo Chang
Central News Agency
2006-10-09 10:54 AM

To unite behind the government would be the best way for Taiwan people to ward off China's possible invasion, a former defense chief of Japan said here Sunday.
Tokuichiro Tamazawa, the former defense minister of Japan who is visiting Taipei as a member of the Japan-ROC Diet Members' Consultative Council said in a public speech that people's determination to defend their county is the best weapon to deter any outside attackers.

Although some people in Taiwan believe that Japan and the United States would come to their defense in case of the country coming under the military attack from China, Tamazawa quoted former U.S.


source: taiwannews.com

This is a very delicate situation. China will not allow Taiwan to develope nuclear arms. But Japan could possibly want to wiothdraw from the NNPT and develope their own arsenal in response to the recent tests by North Korea. If Japan developes their own arms then Taiwan could use this as an excuse to do the same(but with the intention of using them to protect from China; more than North Korea).

The US has stated many times it's stance on Taiwan. Which seats the US opposite China.
It would also align Taiwan with the US and a New nuclear Japan as possible allies; all against China and its allies.
China has publically condemned the actions of Pyongyang. Could this be because they see a possible attempt by Taiwan to make a move in the nuclear direction as a result?


Cold this result in a whole new Asian Cold War with us drawn squarely into it?
Will Japan unsign the NNPT and try to develope their own arsenal?
Will Taiwan try to start developing their own nuclear weapons in response to this latest set of developements?
How long will China sit by and allow this to happen if the case is so?
What will happen between our relationship and China if this Arms race developes?

those are the questions I am left with. Your thoughts?

TONE23