U.S. Naval Posture and Maritime Security in Southeast Asia

Throughout 2019, China continued to conduct coercive and dangerous maritime activities in the South China Sea to intimidate and impose costs on its smaller neighbors. Chinese maritime militia vessels swarmed waters surrounding Philippines-administered Thitu Island and sank a fishing boat near Reed Bank, leaving 22 Filipino civilians stranded at sea. Deep within the boundaries of Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, a Chinese surveying vessel repeatedly conducted unauthorized seabed surveying related to hydrocarbon exploration. Most recently, Chinese fishing boats with a well-armed Chinese Coast Guard escort conducted illegal fishing within Indonesian territory. These operations represent one element of China’s strategy to wage an unrestricted “total competition” in Southeast Asia. Join Hudson Institute for a discussion on current U.S. policy in Southeast Asia, with perspectives from Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines on China’s behavior. The panel will also identify oppo