Illegal fishing, maritime safety and strategic tensions in the South China Sea were the focus of a recent symposium in Jakarta, Indonesia. The event, which included diplomatic and security professionals, emphasized regional cooperation and reaffirmed the United States’ support for Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led multilateralism.
Retired U.S. Coast Guard Vice Adm. Peter Gautier, former deputy commandant for operations, underscored the shared maritime challenges facing Southeast Asia and the U.S., from illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing to the risk of conflict escalation in contested waters.
Gautier noted the use of U.S. government and commercial satellites to monitor vessel movements and counter IUU fishing. He praised the growing role of nongovernmental organizations in sharing data.
“The Coast Guard does use satellite data pretty frequently … and it’s open source, nonclassified,” Gautier said. “Anybody can use it.”
Regional security concerns were a primary topic at the January 2026 symposium, hosted by @america, the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta’s cultural center. Gautier warned that aggressive actions in the resource-rich South China Sea — particularly those attributed to China — could spark unintentional conflict.
“I think we should all be really concerned about an unintended escalation in the South China Sea … with China’s really assertive and dangerous actions,” he said.
Adh Stevens, public affairs officer with the U.S. Mission to ASEAN, emphasized that U.S. engagement is geared toward deterrence. Washington “is very supportive of ASEAN as a multilateral organization that solves problems and keeps the peace,” he said.
“We need a very strong defense presence in this region … not to cause war, to prevent war,” Gautier reiterated.
He called for expanded coast guard collaboration. “Here’s really what success looks like: joint operational planning and joint operations, even in each other’s EEZs,” he said, referring to exclusive economic zones.
International law grants states sovereign rights to marine resources within their EEZs, which extend up to 200 nautical miles. The U.S. Coast Guard has bilateral law enforcement agreements with 12 Indo-Pacific partners. Known as shipriders, the agreements allow military and law enforcement personnel to ride aboard each other’s vessels within their nation’s respective waters, including EEZs. Personnel can stop, inspect and detain boats suspected of illicit maritime activities such as IUU fishing.
Gautier highlighted Indonesia’s leading role in proposing the ASEAN Coast Guard Forum, describing it as a promising platform for coordination. He noted the need to streamline maritime enforcement.
“There are over a dozen maritime authorities in Indonesia,” which can lead to overlap and inefficiency, he said.
Gautier praised the quality of Indonesian personnel, citing recent training with the U.S. Coast Guard, as well as with Malaysian and Vietnamese counterparts.
Symposium speakers presented a vision of partnership grounded in shared values, operational engagement and a commitment to upholding international law, with Stevens spotlighting the 11-member ASEAN’s role in “sustaining regional peace and prosperity.”
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