A report suggests that expanding the functional scope of the ASEAN Coast Guard Forum (ACF) could help address maritime challenges beyond countering China in the South China Sea. This move would boost the forum’s credibility regionally and internationally while reducing Chinese criticism.
The ACF may consider collaborating with extra-regional states, including China, for activities like exercises, joint patrols, capacity-building efforts, and training programs. Southeast Asian states rely on coast guard cooperation to counter Chinese aggression, especially with reduced US interest in the South China Sea.
Efforts to formalize the ACF within broader ASEAN frameworks could be beneficial. The forum, established in 2022, has the potential to counter Chinese coercion in the South China Sea by enhancing communication and trust among ASEAN member states’ coast guards.
Institutionalizing the ACF would strengthen maritime cooperation among Southeast Asian coast guards, potentially leading to joint patrols in the South China Sea. This collective effort would demonstrate the region’s capability to manage shared maritime spaces under international law, deterring Chinese aggression.
