Naval War College hosts 'Chief of Naval Operations Trilateral Forum' on the South China Sea

Photo of three retired and former heads of navy, Adm. Gary Roughead, Indian navy Adm. Nirmal Verma, and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Adm. Tomohisa Takei, participating in a trilateral discussion on the South China Sea at U.S. Naval War College.
180601-N-FC129-354
NEWPORT, R.I.
(June 1, 2018)
Three retired and former heads of navy, Adm. Gary Roughead, Indian navy Adm. Nirmal Verma, and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Adm. Tomohisa Takei, participate in a trilateral discussion on the South China Sea at U.S. Naval War College. (U.S. Navy photo by Edwin Wriston/released)

NEWPORT, R.I. – U.S. Naval War College’s China Maritime Studies Institute hosted three retired former heads of navy, Adm. Gary Roughead, Indian navy Adm. Nirmal Verma, and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Adm. Tomohisa Takei, for a trilateral discussion on the South China Sea and its place in Indo-Pacific strategy, June 1.

The discussion focused on current research and thinking on the South China Sea; Chinese maritime strategy; the national security interests of each respective nation in the South China Sea; and the potential for broader Indo-Pacific cooperation among the three nations.

According to Roughhead, maritime norms will be challenged in the coming years and, as a result, the U.S. needs to discuss and focus more attention on military capacity and presence changes in the South China Sea over the next decade or two. He stressed the need to shape the future environment by examining the current issues and their impacts 20 years into the future.

Takei reiterated the importance of Japan's continued presence in the South China Sea and how their presence reinforces a “free and open South China Sea” by preventing the international rules-based ordering from weakening.

Concerning India, Verma spoke on his country's security challenges in the South China Sea and how India has been connected to Southeast Asia for centuries. He said that the South China Sea provides a path for 55 percent of India’s global trade.

The goal of the event was to foster discussions that will help the U.S. Navy and partner nations better understand and anticipate challenges in a maritime arena that are critical to global security, commerce and international cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.

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Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jess Lewis
June 04, 2018

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