- they are less concern for bases/facilities. They now have in Korea/Japan and Singapore. They are now more keen to have access agreements to local bases/facilities and support services;
- in return, the US will offer armed forces of the host nations better training and supplies. An excellent marketing opportunity for America. US is also prepared to give loans for host countries to buy their weapons;
- The aims of new policy：
- to develop the infrastructure for automatic access in times of strategic needs;
- to strengthen confidence in the US commitment to maintain regional stability (read： to ensure US presence at all times);
- cost benefit - cheaper to have access than to maintain bases - after all they already have the facilities in Korea, Japan and Singapore.
- Power projection capability. In a unipolar world the desire to project power is less compelling. But the US is now in a better position as the infrastructure for projecting power is well established as more countries in the region are prepared to give access to their bases. Singapore is a good example of this policy shift.
- Singapore is helping the US in facilitating US presence. Singapore is building a special naval base to cater for US naval presence - to be completed in year 2000 at Changi Naval Base. This is in lieu of the Subic way - an important base mid-way between Guam-Middle East, Korea and Japan.
■ Singapore provided/opened its naval base facilities to the US in 1990 after Subic Bay was closed down. Since then, the US presence in Singapore has expanded e.g. US air force - sends fighter detachments to Singapore six times a year, for about a month @ a time; the US Navy uses Singapore as a hub for ships it sends to SEA for 3 months of he year to exercise with other navies. Early this month (2 December 1998)- the US aircraft carrier (Carl Vinson) came to Singapore - displacing some 95,000 tons and carries some 5,000 sailors and 80 aircraft- to join other escorts.
