Regional Power and Maritime Security in Asia

JOINT SEMINAR

Thursday, October 7, 2010, 10:00 – 12:00

with

Prof. Tom Hart, Stockholm School of Asian Studies, Stockholm School of Economics
Prof. Sato Yoichiro, Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University
Dr. Jagannath P. Panda, Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses
Dr. Stefan Eklöf Amirell, Swedish Institute of International Affairs

Organized by the Stockholm Asia Security Group

Utrikespolitiska Institutet (UI)
European institute of japanese studies (EIJS)
Institute for security and development policy (ISDP)
Stockholm international peace research institute (SIPRI)

In an ever more globalizing world, the number of exchanges across countries is growing, making maritime borders in some – but not all – parts of the globe “softer.” This heightens “new maritime security” considerations and it also entails the transformation of the traditional role of maritime borders.

Nevertheless, many countries of the Asian region still continue to be locked in seemingly intractable territorial disputes with neighbouring states. Furthermore, as Chinese continues to increase power, competition with other regional powers, such as Japan and India in the maritime area are becoming focal points around which the excesses of nationalism and geostrategic ambitions converge. Nowhere is there more ample demonstration of this than with the various disputes surrounding claims to islands, the maritime military buildup and dominance of maritime resource among regional powers in their maritime borders.

This seminar examines maritime security issues in Asia from a broader context from the Sea of Japan (East Sea) to the Indian Ocean. The seminar will also discuss particular points of major regional power’s maritime security policies with a view to considering their relevance in the construction of a system of cooperative maritime security in Asia.

Location: ISDP, Västra Finnbodavägen 2, Stockholm-Nacka. For a map and directions, please go here.

To attend: RSVP to Ms. Martina Klimesova at mklimesova@isdp.eu

Seminar Program

09:50 Arrival of Participants

10:00 Opening Remarks
Dr. Bert Edström, Senior Research Fellow, Institute for Security and Development Policy, Sweden.

10:10 Speaker 1: “A Many-faceted Issue Area: Report from the Canadian Navy’s WPNS Maritime Security Challenges Seminar 2010
Tom Hart, Stockholm School of Asian Studies, Stockholm School of Economics

10:25 Speaker 2: “Japan and Maritime Security Cooperation in the Asia-Pacific
Prof. Sato Yoichiro, International Strategic Studies, Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, Japan.

10:40 Speaker 3: “Fighting for the Indian Ocean: Policy Directives of China and India”
Dr. Jagannath P. Panda, Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, India.

10:55 Speaker 4: “Research and Securitization of Maritime Issues in Southeast Asia”
Dr. Stefan Eklöf Amirell, Swedish Institute of International Affairs, Sweden.

11:10 Discussion