A recurring theme throughout the conference was the need to manage strategic competition while protecting the connectivity that underpins regional prosperity. Participants noted that the South China Sea remains a vital maritime corridor linking the Pacific and Indian Oceans, facilitating global trade, energy transportation, and global supply chains. As maritime activity becomes more dense, technologically sophisticated, and strategically contested, preserving stability and connectivity is increasingly important for the region and the world.
Discussions highlighted the growing risk of miscalculation in a more complex operational environment marked by expanding maritime activities, military modernisation, emerging technologies, and evolving power dynamics. Speakers emphasized that communication, transparency, confidence-building measures, and effective crisis-management mechanisms are essential for preventing misunderstandings from escalating into incidents and crises. Communication channels and cooperative mechanisms should be established before tensions arise, as they are critical tools for crisis prevention and risk reduction.
The conference also examined how maritime security is increasingly shaped by developments beyond traditional disputes. Discussions focused on maritime capability development, new security partnerships, and the need for transparency, restraint, and responsible maritime conduct. Experts noted that technological advances, including artificial intelligence, automation, autonomous systems, and digital infrastructure, are transforming maritime operations while creating new opportunities and vulnerabilities.
Participants further explored the impact of disruptions to maritime transportation routes, energy supply chains, and global shipping networks on regional economies. Discussions highlighted how oil price volatility, shipping disruptions, and broader supply-chain pressures can affect energy security and economic resilience across the Indo-Pacific, reinforcing the need for reliable maritime connectivity and resilient infrastructure.
Particular attention was given to the protection of critical maritime infrastructure, including ports, offshore facilities, logistics networks, navigation systems, and undersea cables. Cybersecurity and digital resilience were identified as increasingly important components of maritime governance, with greater information sharing and maritime domain awareness viewed as practical tools to reduce uncertainty and strengthen crisis prevention.
Throughout the conference, speakers reaffirmed the applicability of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as the universal legal framework governing ocean space and maritime zones. Discussions underscored the importance of respect for international law, freedom of navigation and overflight, peaceful settlement of disputes, and argued for ASEAN centrality and expedient progress toward an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the South China Sea consistent with international law.
The second day of the conference explored the legal and cooperative dimensions of maritime governance. In addition to discussions on UNCLOS and ASEAN-led mechanisms, participants examined emerging issues such as the implementation of the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement), deep-sea governance, biodiversity conservation, and the sustainable use of marine resources beyond national jurisdiction.
Discussions also moved beyond national-level diplomacy to examine practical cooperation involving governments, ports, researchers, businesses, and coastal communities. Participants highlighted opportunities for collaboration in maritime safety, environmental protection, marine scientific research, sustainable resource management, and infrastructure resilience, emphasizing that such partnerships can contribute to both regional stability and human security.
The conference benefited from broad international participation from across Southeast Asia, Europe, North America, and the wider Indo-Pacific. Among the contributors was Dr. Jacopo Maria Pepe of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP), who joined the discussions as a panellist on mitigating energy supply chain shocks.
A notable feature of this year’s conference was its emphasis on youth engagement. Through the Young Leaders’ Session, emerging scholars and practitioners were provided with a platform to present policy recommendations and innovative ideas aimed at promoting a more cooperative, resilient, and sustainable regional maritime order.
A key conclusion emerging from the conference was that the future maritime order in the South China Sea will depend on how effectively regional actors manage competition while safeguarding connectivity, strengthening transparency, and enabling practical and constructive cooperation. Participants emphasized that maintaining a stable, inclusive, and rules-based maritime environment remains essential for regional peace, economic resilience, and global connectivity.
As a longstanding supporter of international dialogue and regional cooperation, the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) remains committed to fostering informed discussions, mutual understanding, and evidence-based policy exchanges that contribute to peace, stability, and cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.
