Vice president opens trilateral meeting at DKI APCSS
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Senior diplomatic officials from Japan, Republic of Korea and the United States met at the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies July 14 to address key political and security issues of mutual concern in the Asia-Pacific region. U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden (second from right) opened the event with remarks on the vital relationship between the three nations. The meeting was the nations' fourth conducted at the “deputy level.” Delegations were led by (pictured left to right) Japan Vice Foreign Minister Shinsuke Sugiyama, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Tony Blinken, and Korean Vice Foreign Minister Lim Sung-Nam. At a post-event press conference, the three commented on principal concerns addressed in the roughly two-hour discussion. To read more, click here.
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Secretary of U.S. Army visits in-session CSRT
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U.S. Secretary of the Army Eric Fanning spoke with Fellows attending the Comprehensive Security Responses to Terrorism course (CSRT 16-1) July 27 at DKI APCSS. CSRT, in session July 14 to Aug. 10, provides security practitioners in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as other designated countries, an enhanced understanding of how to combat terrorism and transnational threats. Fanning (left) is pictured with DKI APCSS Deputy Director retired Brig. Gen. James Hirai. To read more, click here.
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Symposium highlights chaplains' roles in disaster response
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Exploring the role of religious support in disaster response missions, 55 military chaplains from seven nations gathered at DKI APCSS July 8. The “RIMPAC HA/DR and Chaplaincy Symposium,” conducted jointly by DKI APCSS and the U.S. Navy’s Third Fleet, was an extension of the Rim of the Pacific 2016 exercise centered at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, HI, June 30 to Aug. 4. The event included representation from the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Religion and Global Affairs. Chaplains and others associated with the religious/humanitarian aspects of disasters response interact at the July 8 event. To read more, click here.
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RIMPAC participants discuss inclusion, maritime safety
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Thirty-nine maritime security professionals gathered at DKI APCSS July 7 to exchange perspectives on securing oceans in the Asia-Pacific region more effectively. Participants comprised primarily naval officers from eight of the 26 nations taking part in the Rim of the Pacific 2016 exercise. The event, titled “RIMPAC 2016 Maritime Security Symposium,” featured attendees from Australia, Canada, China, Colombia, India, New Zealand, Singapore and the United States. The event reinforced RIMPAC’s multinational/cooperative approach to maritime security while introducing participants to the Center’s model of inclusive and respectful exchange of ideas. Pictured above, Vice Adm. Nora Tyson, commander of the U.S. Navy Third Fleet, provides remarks on the topic of inclusion. At right, a seminar group meets to discuss key maritime security issues. To read more, click here.
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APOC expands view of Asia-Pacific security environment
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Gaining a deeper understanding of regional security issues, 150 professionals completed the Asia-Pacific Orientation Course (APOC 16-2) at DKI APCSS June 24. APOC is a five-day course designed to provide an overview of regional states and trends in socio-economic, political, defense, health and environmental arenas that drive the Asia-Pacific’s security environment. Pictured is Dr. Al Oehlers leading an APOC topical discussion. To read more, click here.
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Workshop assists Philippines in prep for ASEAN chairmanship
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Forty-four participants representing 21 Philippines government ministries took part in a June 7 to 9 workshop in Manila designed to assist the nation in assuming the ASEAN chairmanship in 2017. DKI APCSS facilitated the event in collaboration with the Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs ASEAN Affairs Office. The workshop featured presentations and group discussions on countering violent extremism, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and energy. Participating DKI APCSS faculty members included workshop academic lead Dr. Virginia Watson, and Dr. Scott Hauger, Dr. Jim Campbell and U.S. Army Lt. Col. Tom Matelski.
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Faculty publications and media
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Dr. Virginia Bacay Watson's new policy document "Post-Hague: The Philippines and Strategic Balance," has been published on-line by the Rising Powers Initiative. In the brief, Watson offers a preliminary examination of the new Philippine leaders approach to foreign policy, specifically regarding new challenges and opportunities.
In his article "The Reality of China's Legal Obligations in the South China Sea," Dr. Justin Nankivell discusses international law, compliance and obligation under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The article is part of a special edition of ASEAN Focus titled "South China Sea Arbitrations: Responses & Implications," a collection of short pieces analyzing the UNCLOS Arbitral Tribunal decision regarding China's claims in the South China Sea.
Dr. Alexander Vuving has published four new articles. "Why the South China Sea is a Game Changer," is an opinion piece published by The Diplomat. Vuving describes how an arbitration tribunal's ruling against China's South China Sea claims has transformed the region's strategic landscape. His second article is a policy brief titled "How Lifting the U.S. Arms Embargo on Vietnam Matters," published by the Rising Powers Initiative. In "ADIZ in the South China Sea: Nine-Dash Line 2.0?", published by The National Interest, Vuving discusses what a China ADIZ may look like in the contested region. The topic of an ADIZ is also covered in his article published by The National Interest and titled “How Vietnam can stop the South China Sea ADIZ.”
Dr. Mohan Malik has contributed a chapter to the NATO Defense College Forum Paper NATO and the Asia-Pacific. In his chapter “Geopolitics: Asia Out of Balance?” Malik discusses perceptions of the U.S. strategic “pivot” to the Asia-Pacific in light of China’s and Russia’s increasing political, military and economic power in the region. Malik also authored the article “India’s Response to the South China Sea Verdict,” published by The American Interest. Malik writes that an international court of arbitration’s ruling against China’s claim to ownership of 80 percent of the South China Sea was well received by India, a geopolitical rival. Malik's perspectives on this issue also appear in the July 12 Times of India article “South China Sea ruling a shot in the arm for India, a damning indictment of Beijing, say experts” and the July 13 The Quint piece “China Reacts Cautiously to India’s View on South China Sea Verdict.” His interview on the subject with Triple Pundit writer Leon Kaye is included in the article “Tension Heats Up Over the South China Sea, Shows No Signs of Cooling.”
Dr. Van Jackson has a new article called “Grappling with the Fait Accompli: A Classical Tactic in the Modern Strategic Landscape” which appeared this week on the War on the Rocks blog. In his article, Jackson describes variations in the fait accompli, an age-old tactic to challenge the status quo and secure unilateral gains while minimizing the risks of war. He ties this concept to the international security environment, identifying the fait accompli tactic in Russian annexation of Crimea, North Korea’s recurring violence, and China’s contentious artificial island-building in the South China Sea.
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Maritime Security Logistics Workshop
Aug. 15 to 19
Burma Security Sector Development Workshop
Aug. 15 to 19
Inclusion in Security Sector Workshop in Mongolia
Aug. 23 to 25
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June 9: Adm. Kurt Tidd, Commander, U.S. Southern Command
June 15: Sir Jim McLay, New Zealand Consulate-General, Honolulu
June 20: Maj. Gen. Pan, Shao-Chuan, 2nd Department Director, Taiwan National Security Bureau
June 22: Mr. Manpreet Singh Anand, Deputy Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs, U.S. State Department
June 29: Amb. Joe Hockey, Australian Ambassador to the United States
July 11: Mr. Michael Hamburger, U.S. Department of State Office of Religion and Global Affairs
July 19: Mr. Dan Feehan, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Readiness)
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Our latest edition of Currents magazine, published in July 2016 is available here.
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If you have any questions please contact the editor at hallj@apcss.org.
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