Click here to access the Maritime Awareness Project

In April 2016, Sasakawa USA and The National Bureau of Asian Research (NBR) launched the Maritime Awareness Project (MAP), a joint initiative to assist policymakers, the press, and interested public in better understanding critical maritime problems and possible routes to their peaceful resolution. MAP features a unique, interactive website encompassing key data at the heart of ongoing maritime disputes as well as related maritime issues. In addition, a group of the world’s top experts on maritime affairs serve as contributors to an ongoing series of analytical papers, online discussions, and MAP seminars and conferences.

The disputed waters of the South China Sea are a vital artery for regional trade. Long a fishing ground for seafarers along its rim and containing fields of hydrocarbon reserves, the sea is also an important resource base for claimant states. Resolution of competing claims and agreement on acceptable activities in surrounding exclusive economic zones remains elusive. Broader competition among regional powers and modernization of regional countries’ navies and coast guard capabilities put additional stress on an already volatile situation. The United States has made clear its interest in maintaining freedom of navigation throughout the world, and finds itself increasingly under pressure by other states—especially those with interests in the South China Sea—to uphold that commitment.

Click here for all related posts tagged “Maritime Awareness Project,” or here to download a one-page summary of MAP. Also view more MAP content via the Twitter hashtag #MAPasia.

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