How should the law treat underwater maritime autonomous vehicles?

Natalie Klein, for ASPI The Strategist

Maritime autonomous vehicles (MAVs) have fast become an essential component of the modern maritime security scene and may operate underwater, on the surface, or in the air—though the latter are commonly referred to as drones.

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China’s defence ties with Cambodia raise red flags for Vietnam

Abdul Rahman Yaacob, ANU, for East Asia Forum

It has been over 40 years since Vietnamese military forces rolled into Cambodia and toppled the brutal Pol Pot regime. One of the drivers that led Vietnam to conduct a military campaign against Cambodia was its sense of strategic vulnerability, sandwiched between China to the north and the…

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Restarting search and rescue cooperation in the South China Sea

Gilang Kembara, CSIS Indonesia, for East Asia Forum

China’s easing of COVID-19 countermeasures in December 2022 spurred the resumption of several economic and social activities that were impossible six months prior. International travel and tourism have gradually restarted while international meetings and conferences can once again be held in China.…

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US, Filipino Forces Show Firepower at Sea Amid China Tension

Jim Gomez and Aaron Favila, for The Diplomat

With the growing Chinese threat in mind, President Marcos has ordered his military to shift its focus to external defense from decades-long domestic anti-insurgency.

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Conflict in a Crowded Sea: Risks of Escalation in the South China Sea

Aaron Favila and Joeal Calupitan,for The Diplomat

Philippine officials say such joint exercises with U.S. forces do not target any country. But Beijing says increased U.S. security deployments in Asia target China and undermine regional stability.

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China’s fisheries policy makes a belated shift to sustainability

Author: Hongzhou Zhang, RSIS and Genevieve Donnellon-May, University of Oxford, for East Asia Forum

In response to growing demand for aquatic products, China introduced its 14th Five-Year National Fisheries Development Plan in 2022. Under the plan, the 2025 target for the country’s aquatic production is 69 million tonnes, suggesting that its enormous fishing industry will continue to expand.

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A principled approach to maritime domain awareness in the Indo-Pacific

Author: Ariel Stenek, for Pacific Forum

Maritime domain awareness (MDA) in the Indo-Pacific is moving from an abstract aspiration to a functional collective security approach for managing the region’s dynamic offshore spaces. To ensure that emerging initiatives like the Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) have…

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When disaster strikes, Australia, New Zealand and the US should partner with, not for, the Pacific

Joanne Wallis, Anna Powles and Henrietta McNeill, for ASPI The Strategist

Officials from Australia, New Zealand and the United States are set to meet in Canberra this week for the fourth annual Trilateral Pacific Security Cooperation Dialogue. Their goal is to work out how to partner better and smarter in a region that is increasingly contested geopolitically. For the…

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Realising the benefits of Washington’s renewed interest in northern Australia

John Coyne, for ASPI The Strategist

For the third time in less than a century, the US government has rapidly awakened to Australia’s strategic importance. On this occasion, it’s focused on the significance of Australia’s northern strategic geography. While on previous occasions Australia traded sovereignty for protection, this time…

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