Why undersea security matters for ASEAN
As the Philippines assumes ASEAN chair duties under the theme “Navigating Our Future, Together,” the focus extends beyond surface-level diplomacy to the critical domain beneath the waves. Undersea security—ranging from submarine cables and maritime chokepoints to sovereign rights in exclusive economic zones—directly affects regional stability, economic resilience, and strategic trust among Southeast Asian nations. In an era of rising great-power competition and evolving grey-zone tactics, ASEAN’s ability to safeguard its underwater commons is essential for collective prosperity.
The Philippines’ leadership and strategic priorities
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s chairmanship signals a deliberate push to anchor peace and security as the bedrock of regional cooperation. By foregrounding undersea security alongside traditional maritime freedom of navigation, the Philippines seeks to harmonize naval exercises, information sharing, and disaster response with long-term investment in resilient infrastructure. The aim is to deter destabilizing actions, while enabling cooperative mechanisms to monitor, protect, and responsibly exploit maritime resources.
Protecting critical infrastructure
Submarine cables—the backbone of global communications—are vital to ASEAN’s connectivity and economic activity. A cooperative ASEAN approach would improve risk assessments, cyber-physical defenses, and rapid restoration protocols in the event of disruptions. Within the broader undersea security framework, member states can collaborate on securing port facilities, offshore installations, and sea-lines of communication that link regional markets to the wider world.
Maritime domain awareness and information sharing
Effective undersea security relies on robust maritime domain awareness. The Philippines can champion interoperable intelligence-sharing arrangements, joint patrols, and cooperative search-and-rescue assets that operate across EEZs and international waters. By strengthening data fusion—satellite surveillance, sonar monitoring, and vessel tracking—ASEAN can better deter illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, smuggling, and piracy that threaten coastal communities and regional governance.
Balancing sovereignty with collective security
ASEAN’s centrality hinges on a delicate balance between national sovereignty and regional solidarity. The Philippines’ leadership should emphasize transparent confidence-building measures, norms against coercive acts, and inclusive dialogue with external partners to ensure that security cooperation remains consensual and law-based. The goal is to shrink the risk of miscalculation in the Indo-Pacific by building predictable patterns of interaction, consent, and mutual accountability among ASEAN members and dialogue partners.
Practical steps for a resilient undersea security architecture
Some concrete avenues include: (1) establishing a regional undersea security working group that coordinates on submarine cable protection, shipping lane monitoring, and underwater domain awareness; (2) expanding joint naval exercises and port calls with a focus on non-traditional security threats such as cyber-physical interference and natural disasters; (3) investing in digital resilience and ballast-water controls to safeguard marine ecosystems that underpin sustainable fisheries and livelihoods; (4) deploying a regional rapid-response mechanism for maritime incidents that cross EEZ boundaries; and (5) fostering public-private partnerships to safeguard critical underwater infrastructure and supply chains.
Conclusion: Navigating our future, together in the depths
The Philippines’ ASEAN chairmanship, with a spotlight on undersea security, offers an opportunity to elevate a comprehensive maritime security architecture. By weaving together sovereignty, resilience, and cooperative governance, ASEAN can secure its underwater commons while advancing regional prosperity. The path ahead requires sustained diplomacy, practical cooperation, and a shared commitment to rules-based order—ensuring that what lies beneath the surface strengthens, rather than divides, Southeast Asia’s common future.
