Although the South China Sea is thousands of miles away, experts gathered at the Center for Strategic and International Studies for its Sixteenth Annual South China Sea Conference to discuss growing tensions in one of the world’s busiest waterways.
The conference marked the 10th anniversary of the landmark South China Sea arbitration while focusing on dispute management, evolving security alliances, the role of global stakeholders and diplomatic efforts to prevent future conflict.
Patrick Cronin, Asia-Pacific Security Chair at the Hudson Institute, emphasized that maintaining stability requires more than international law alone.
“We need stronger international law that’s backed by countries willing to cooperate through diplomacy, military cooperation and economic cooperation, while continuing to engage China positively and find ways to de-escalate these tensions.”
Cronin added that, in his view, China is seeking to strengthen its sovereignty claims rather than pursue direct military conflict.
Throughout the conference, panelists stressed the importance of addressing these challenges before they escalate further. Discussions centered on how governments, policymakers and regional partners can work together to manage disputes peacefully while reinforcing international law and maintaining stability in the region.
Henrietta Levin, senior fellow in China studies at CSIS, pointed to the Philippines’ efforts to document activity at sea.
“The Philippines has done a good job publicly showing how China has been using very dangerous maneuvers to prevent fishermen from fishing where their families have fished for generations.”
While the discussions focused on events overseas, experts said the implications extend well beyond Asia. Because a significant portion of global trade passes through the South China Sea, prolonged disruptions could affect supply chains, increase shipping costs and eventually lead to higher prices on everyday goods and essential supplies for consumers in the United States.
For many at the conference, the message was clear: Preventing conflict isn’t just about regional security; it’s also about protecting the global economy and the people who depend on it.
