Five Power Defence Arrangements

Ang Cheng Guan is Professor of the International History of Southeast Asia and Associate Dean of S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

“With great powers now declining and rising, there is an urgent need to better understand how multilateral security organisations can form, function and persist in Asia. This detailed and authoritative examination of the Five Power Defence Arrangements uses archival research to provide a fresh perspective on an under-studied institution. It will be of great use to policymakers, diplomatic historians, and scholars of alliance politics.”Iain Henry, Senior Lecturer, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University"The durability of consultative arrangements conceived in the context of the British withdrawal East of Suez remains a great puzzle. Ang Cheng Guan addresses it heads on in his remarkable historical study of the FPDA. This book is a must read for anyone interested in understanding the FPDA’s ability to adjust to evolving circumstances and its ongoing relevance in the Southeast Asian security architecture."Ralf Emmers, Professor in International Politics of East Asia, SOAS University of London"Professor Ang Cheng Guan’s detailed and excellent study of the Five Power Defence Arrangement (FPDA) is an important statement about the significance of enduring defence instrumentalities for regional security. Ang shows us persuasively that the FPDA, despite its weaknesses, is still highly relevant as a minilateral confidience-building measure in managing conflict in our turbulent geopolitical times."Johan Saravanamuttu, Professor Emeritus, Science University of Malaysia"This welcome study by Ang Cheng Guan provides a comprehensive analysis of the evolution of FPDA, an important but relatively understudied defence arrangement in Asia. Ang’s study makes a valuable contribution to the literature on multilateral defence alliances in Asia. The book offers a thorough exploration of the FPDA’s development, particularly during significant periods such as the Cold War and its aftermath, highlighting the alliance’s distinctive features, contributions, and adaptability while presenting new perspectives on its sustained relevance...This is an important book that is highly recommended for historians, defence analysts and scholars of international relations."Tan Tai Yong, Professor, Singapore University of Social Sciences

• Introduction1. Replacing AMDA2. Negotiating the FPDA3. The First 20 Years4. After the Cold War5. Towards 50 and BeyondConclusion