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Articles by Harrison Prétat
Expect A More Dangerous Asia If Maritime Issues Don’t Make the Trump-Xi Agenda
Things are not working the way they are supposed to in the Strait of Hormuz—and, increasingly, neither are they in the waters of Asia. Traffic has been throttled in the Strait of Hormuz since the beginning of the Iran conflict in March, sending energy prices sky-high and creating rippling economic uncertainty that has threatened the health of the global economy.
The Strait of Hormuz in 8 Charts
Access to the Strait of Hormuz, which carries roughly a quarter of global oil flows, remains contested. The waterway has been effectively closed since March 2, following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran. Although Tehran declared the strait open on April 17, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reversed course and announced it shut just one day later. The United States has since moved to enforce its own presence, including by seizing an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel on April 19.
No One, Not Even Beijing, Is Getting Through the Strait of Hormuz
Since the United States and Israel launched an attack on Iran a week ago, maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has come to a virtual standstill. The resulting trade disruptions will be felt globally, but China’s outsized reliance on energy imports from the region and its position as one of Iran’s few remaining international partners makes its response to the crisis especially consequential.
The risks of U.S. deep-sea mining
Skip to content SPECIAL The risk for cyber or U.S. critical infrastructure attacks in Iran conflict | READ MORE → Powered by the McCrary Institute at Auburn University Get your cyber briefing Straight from our experts to your inbox
The Risks of U.S. Deep-Sea Mining
As demand for critical minerals surges amid fears of overreliance on Chinese supplies, the United States has begun taking steps to secure access to the vast stores of minerals on the seabed. With international negotiations on seabed mining under the International Seabed Authority (ISA) stalled, Washington’s push to fast-track deep-sea mining under U.S. law has found support among private firms eager to begin mining.
The Ripple Effects of Vietnam’s Island-Building in the South China Sea
By Harrison Prétat In 2021, Vietnam began expanding some of its small- and medium-sized outposts in the Spratly Islands through dredging and landfill. As of now, that effort has resulted in over 2,200 acres of new land being created across ten features, with eight new harbors and one new airstrip completed thus far. The scale of Vietnam’s island building is second only to China’s, which created 3,500 acres of land in the Spratlys from 2013 to 2017.
The Ripple Effects of Vietnam’s Island-Building in the South China Sea
In 2021, Vietnam began expanding some of its small- and medium-sized outposts in the Spratly Islands through dredging and landfill. As of now, that effort has resulted in over 2,200 acres of new land being created across ten features, with eight new harbors and one new airstrip completed thus far. The scale of Vietnam’s island building is second only to China’s, which created 3,500 acres of land in the Spratlys from 2013 to 2017.
Manila and Beijing Clarify Select South China Sea Claims
On November 8, Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed into law two pieces of legislation: the Philippine Maritime Zones Act and the Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act. The laws elaborate Philippine maritime claims, including in the South China Sea, ensuring they are in line with international law.
Energy Security and the U.S.-Philippine Alliance
While survey participants favored energy transmission and grid development as the top targets for U.S. energy investment in the Philippines, over 40 percent also supported oil and gas exploration, while less than 25 percent expressed support for nuclear power. Planning for a Secure Transition The U.S. and Philippine teams were aligned in their goal of enabling the Philippines to resist coercion.
Environmental Threats to the South China Sea
The South China Sea has one of the highest levels of marine biodiversity in the world. It boasts over 6,500 marine species, each of which has a role to play in the success of this enormous, interconnected ecosystem. Coral reefs support nearly 25 percent of global marine life. Of the world’s 1,683 reef-forming coral species, 571 are found in the South China Sea.
In Brief: China Rams Philippine Ships in the South China Sea
A lot happens every day. Alliances shift, leaders change, and conflicts erupt. With In Brief, we’ll help you make sense of it all. Each week, experts will dig deep on a single issue happening in the world to help you better understand it. *** Last week, Chinese ships — a coast guard vessel and ships that are part of China’s notorious maritime militia — rammed a Philippine coast guard vessel and military-run supply ship off of Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea.
USA - Cina: come costruire cordoni di sicurezza — L'Indro
Parlando all’Aspen Institute nel dicembre 2022, il coordinatore del Consiglio di sicurezza nazionale per gli affari indo-pacifici Kurt Campbell ha sottolineato la necessità di “costruire i guardrail” per impedire alle relazioni USA-Cina di “spostarsi in aree destabilizzanti”. Per fare ciò, Washington deve stabilire un dialogo regolare per dissipare i peggiori timori di Pechino sulle intenzioni degli Stati Uniti e disincentivare comportamenti assertivi e rischiosi.
Assuring Beijing key to building guardrails on US-China Relations
Author: Harrison Prétat, Center for Strategic and International Studies Speaking at the Aspen Institute in December 2022, National Security Council Coordinator for Indo-Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell highlighted the need to ‘build the guardrails’ to keep US–China relations from ‘moving into destabilising areas’. To do so, Washington needs to establish regular dialogue to dispel Beijing’s worst fears about US intentions and disincentivise assertive and risky behaviour.
Pulling Back the Curtain on China’s Maritime Militia
November 18, 2021 Since completing the construction of its artificial island outposts in the Spratly Islands in 2016, China has shifted its focus toward asserting control over peacetime activity across the South China Sea. A key component of this shift has been the expansion of China’s maritime militia—a force of vessels ostensibly engaged in commercial fishing but which in fact operate alongside Chinese law enforcement and military to achieve political objectives in disputed waters.
China’s chance to demonstrate leadership in the South China Sea
Washington – China, in a series of assertive and sometimes risky unilateral actions, has netted some significant gains in the South China Sea in the past decade. The island outposts it has constructed in the Spratly and Paracel Islands are strategic assets in both war and peace.
China’s Chance to Demonstrate Leadership in the South China Sea
Flashpoints | Security | Southeast Asia It’s not too late for Beijing to flip the script in the South China Sea—should it choose to. Credit: AP Photo/Andy Wong China, in a series of assertive and sometimes risky unilateral actions, has netted some significant gains in the South China Sea in the past decade. The island outposts it has constructed in the Spratly and Paracel Islands are strategic assets in both war and peace.
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