Southeast Asian city-states declare independence from NCB and UKE pressure. Not to be confused with the Forbidden Zone in South Asia — this IPFZ is an economic and naval power in its own right.
The IPFZ declaration was the biggest geopolitical surprise of the 2060s. Singapore, Manila, Jakarta, and Ho Chi Minh City coordinated a simultaneous declaration of independence backed by their own combined naval force.
The IPFZ has no standing army. It has the most sophisticated naval mine network in the world, the most advanced cyber-warfare capability of any non-superpower, and enough economic leverage to make military action by the big factions very expensive.