International Law and Critical Infrastructure: The Merits and the Gaps

There has not been a universal definition of “critical infrastructure” in maritime domain, but many can agree that such concept should include fixed platforms, including installations, and submarine cables . To protect these two types of infrastructure, the sole subjects of this essay, international law has introduced several instruments, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the...

The 2023-2025 Red Sea Crisis and Implications for the Indo-Pacific

The Red Sea is one of the world's most heavily trafficked shipping lanes, with around 30% of global container traffic regularly passing through each year1. However, it also faces multiple maritime security issues. The 2023-2025 Red Sea crisis, which accumulates multiple layers of threats in the maritime domain, originates from deeper regional tension, and is implicated by big powers’ interference and...

Is the Trump Administration Taking Freedom of Navigation Less Seriously?

Rising Tensions Between Australia and China in the South China Sea: Is Australia Pursuing a “Transparency Strategy”?

The Philippines Signs New Defense Agreements with Regional Partners: Strengthening Deterrence in the South China Sea?

Trump–Xi Meeting in Busan: A De-escalatory Step Amid an Ongoing Great Power Rivalry

17th South China Sea Conference Report: Unity in Uncertainties

Defense Ministers of the "SQUAD" Meet for the 5th Time: Is the SQUAD Gradually "Formalizing"?

"G2 Summit" between the U.S. and China: the Beginning of a New World Order or a Political Trap?

The South China Sea in 2025: Dead Calm or Surging Undertow?

As the world moves past the midpoint of 2025, some might have the impression that the South China Sea appears comparatively calm. With major powers preoccupied by protracted conflicts elsewhere, such as Russia-Ukraine, Israel-Palestine, India-Pakistan, and most recently the tension between Cambodia and Thailand, the South China Sea seems, at least on the surface, “manageable”. But is the South China...