Publication

This paper argues that the maritime conflicts in East and Southeast Asia threaten 1) the regions' security structures, 2) Europe and its economies, and 3) the current international order. Unfortunately, the rival parties continue to believe that there are advantages to be gained by maintaining the status quo. They can, for example, use the disputes to obfuscate other strategic interests, including – in the case of China – weakening the US’ security alliances in Asia and securing its own regional dominance. Finally, and to prevent minor confrontations from spiraling out of control, the text's author argues that more substantive crisis-prevention mechanisms should be put in place in this part of the world, and that the EU needs to play a role there that is proportional to the magnitude of its interests.