Time to Speak Up About the South China Sea
Some leaders in Southeast Asia may fear that new or enhanced postures in the South China Sea could antagonize China. But directly calling out China's breaks from the status quo or intimidation tactics may not necessarily put these countries at risk of Chinese countermeasures.
Mar 20, 2019 East Asia Forum
Assessing Recent Developments in Indonesian Maritime Security
Despite a daunting set of maritime challenges, Indonesia has placed renewed emphasis on maritime security governance. While the programs in place may take decades to bear fruit, Indonesia is on the path to securing the waterways and infrastructure so key to its overall economic development.
Oct 12, 2018 Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative
China Welcomes Its Newest Armed Force: The Coast Guard
China's recent move to transfer responsibility for the China Coast Guard to the People's Armed Police will have major symbolic implications for China's presence in disputed waters. It can no longer claim its presence in the South China Sea is purely civilian in nature.
Apr 4, 2018 War on the Rocks
The Era of Coast Guards in the Asia-Pacific Is Upon Us
Coast guards, not navies, are the new asset of choice in East and Southeast Asia to assert sovereignty over disputed waters. China has been expanding its coast guard fleet and many states, like Vietnam and the Philippines, lack the funds to match it.
Mar 8, 2017 Asia Maritme Transparency Initiative
The New 'Normal' in the East China Sea
China and Japan are engaged in a long-term test of wills over disputed waters and territory in the East China Sea. The Japanese government has acknowledged the challenge it faces and has begun to invest in infrastructure and personnel projects to address it.
Feb 27, 2017 The Diplomat
History and Current Developments Regarding Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration
As Asia-Pacific countries develop policies to regulate maritime zones of jurisdiction, the importance of coast guards as instruments of state policy has been growing. Taiwan's Coast Guard is an increasingly effective force.
Feb 15, 2017 Global Taiwan Brief
South Korea Cracks Down on Illegal Chinese Fishing, with Violent Results
In the Yellow Sea and elsewhere, Chinese fishermen have shown an increasing willingness to challenge attempts by coast guards to enforce fishing laws. Earlier this week, after repeated warnings, the Korea Coast Guard opened fire on a Chinese vessel fishing illegally in Korean waters.
Nov 4, 2016 The Diplomat
China's PLAAF Pilot Training Program Undergoes Major Overhaul
China's People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) has made great strides in recent years to transform its pilot training program. PLAAF leaders understand many of the institutional and cultural weaknesses that impede effectiveness and are taking measures to address them.
Oct 27, 2016 The National Interest
China's Air Force Is Fixing Its Shortcomings
The prevailing view among Western observers is that Chinese fighter pilots lack the tactical mindset to engage and prevail in a dynamic, unscripted combat environment. But the PLAAF appears to have undertaken major reform in how it trains its pilots.
Oct 14, 2016 Aviation Week & Space Technology
The Crucial South China Sea Ruling No One Is Talking About
The PCA found in July that China's coast guard had breached several UNCLOS articles governing safety and navigation at sea. Hopefully, this will help build a legal case that abiding by basic maritime safety principles is in the interest of all countries, including China.
Sep 16, 2016 The Diplomat
Indonesia-China Tensions in the Natuna Sea: Evidence of Naval Efficacy Over Coast Guards?
The notion that Southeast Asian countries should employ coast guards instead of navies to enforce maritime laws had been gaining currency. But many of the coast guard fleets lack sufficient capacity to deal with the threats along their coast and in disputed waters in the South China Sea.
Jul 5, 2016 The Diplomat
The Day After: The Fallout from the Philippines Arbitration Case Against China
What compels compliance with rulings based on international law? Whether or not China will pay a political price for ignoring a U.N. Law of the Sea Convention ruling will to a large degree be determined by how forceful other states respond in the aftermath of court action.
Jun 30, 2016 The National Interest
The Importance of Sunnylands for U.S.-ASEAN Relations
The first ever Association for Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit held on U.S. soil took place earlier this month. Its success should be measured by the fact that the U.S. prioritized relations with the region enough to host its first summit. It should be regarded as the beginning of a new era in U.S.-ASEAN relations.
Feb 24, 2016 The RAND Blog
Obama Doubles Down on Maritime Capacity Building in Southeast Asia
By contributing to coast guard capacity building by donating ships and funding, the United States has found an important and politically viable avenue to bolster maritme security to partners and allies in Southeast Asia.
Dec 15, 2015 Asia Pacific Bulletin
RAND Conference Examines Chinese Aerospace Training and Leadership
To help foster a better understanding of the aerospace component of China's military modernization efforts, participants from the U.S. Air Force, the DoD, and the public policy research and academic communities gathered for the inaugural China Aerospace Studies Institute conference.
Jul 10, 2015 The RAND Blog
In Africa: U.S. Promotes Security, China Does Business
Africans require both security and economic growth. Global powers like China and the United States do not need to choose between the two when focusing their foreign policy efforts.
May 31, 2014 Reuters, The Great Debate blog
To Help Africa, Do Business There
Competition from American industry would help drive Chinese firms to be more socially responsible and generate greater benefits for African communities, write Larry Hanauer and Lyle Morris.
Jun 27, 2013 U.S. News & World Report
Agreeing to Disagree About Africa
The Obama-Xi dialogue offers an opportunity to clarify both countries' interests in Africa and remove a potential irritant to U.S.-Chinese bilateral relations, write Larry Hanauer and Lyle Morris.
Jun 6, 2013 U.S. News & World Report
