「2019 Asia-Pacific Security Forum」-The Outlook of Indo-Pacific Strategy

The Institute for National Policy Research, in conjunction with the Pacific Forum, held the 「2019 Asia-Pacific Security Forum」 in the Hilton Waikiki Beach, Honolulu, Hawaii from August 18 to 19, 2019. Over two dozens of scholars and retired officials from Australia, Japan, India, the United States, and Taiwan attended, and several of them prepared formal presentations. Active opinion exchanges on issues related to Indo-Pacific Strategy, East China Sea, South Pacific and South China Sea took place throughout the entire conference.

INPR Chairman Dr. Hung-mao Tien made the opening remarks. He indicated that democratization of Taiwan, characterized by different levels of competitive elections and smooth power transition, is one of the most successful Third Wave stories since the 1970s. At the moment, Taiwan is in the process of conducting national elections for both the president and members of national legislature. In light of the Hong Kong crisis that triggers in respect to the so called “one country, two systems” formula imposed by Beijing, candidates may compelled to make choice between stronger ties with the US or a more conciliatory overture toward China as the US and China intensify rivalry during the on-going trade war. By the same token, many Asia-Pacific nations may have to respond deliberately the challenges of taking side in respect to the US initiated Indo-Pacific Strategy. RADM Robert Girrier, President of the Pacific Forum, as a co-host, encouraged participants to deepen dialogue on the related issues of the South China Sea, which is one of the major focus in this year’s forum. He emphasized that all stakeholder nations regarding the South China Sea controversy should share information surrounding their territorial sea and adjacent economic zone. Such efforts help to promote mutual cooperation and strengthen peace and stability in the region.

During the one and a half days’ sessions, four principal topics pre-occupied discussion. They included subjects on “maritime domain awareness in focus”, “Indo-Pacific strategy in linking South China Sea and Indian Ocean”, “managing strategic competition in the South Pacific”, and “A2AD, East China Sea and Taiwan Strait”. Participants expressed strong interests in how the US secures support for its Indo-Pacific Strategy in the region. These consisted of India’s position with respect to the US proposed Indo-Pacific Strategy, role of Australia in the South Pacific in support of US Indo-Pacific Strategy, Taiwan’s strategic position in the first island chains of the West Pacific, and China’s military expansion in the South China Sea in recent years.

Chairman Tien expressed gratitude to RADM Girrier and his colleagues for cosponsoring the Forum, and all other participants for their enlightening contributions. He expressed an urgent need for building a dialogue mechanism for international coordination to address to the South China Sea disputes. He also encouraged the US to take more active measures in order promote the security and stability in the region.