A MANILA-BASED policy institute has called for a shift in how maritime issues in Asia are approached, proposing the adoption of a “maritime community with a shared future” as a framework to manage territorial disputes through diplomacy and cooperation rather than military alignment.
Speaking during a forum over the weekend, Asian Century Philippines Strategic Studies Institute (ACPSSI) President Herman Tiu Laurel said maritime issues in the South China Sea and surrounding waters should be understood primarily as territorial disputes among claimant states and resolved through sustained negotiations and multilateral engagement, rather than through expanding security partnerships or defense postures.
Tiu Laurel said the proposed framework envisions the seas as shared spaces for cooperation rather than arenas for strategic competition.
Central to his proposal is the creation of a “maritime community with a shared future,” which he said could help stabilize regional relations by encouraging cooperation in four key areas: maritime security, economic development, environmental protection, and the shared use of maritime resources.
Under the concept, maritime security would be strengthened through dialogue-based mechanisms aimed at preventing miscalculations at sea and building confidence among coastal states.
Economic development could be advanced through joint initiatives in fisheries, shipping and coastal infrastructure projects that benefit multiple countries, rather than exclusive or unilateral exploitation.
Tiu Laurel said environmental protection is a shared obligation, citing the need for coordinated action on marine degradation, overfishing and climate-related risks affecting vulnerable coastal communities.
On resource use, he argued that equitable and cooperative arrangements would better serve long-term regional stability than approaches rooted in exclusion or control.
Tiu Laurel warned that expanding military arrangements and alliance structures in the region risk deepening divisions over territorial disputes.
He said such approaches may harden positions among claimant states and make negotiated settlements more difficult.
Tiu Laurel urged Asian states to return to inclusive diplomatic processes that allow all parties to address competing territorial claims through dialogue.
While acknowledging the complexity of these disputes, he said cooperation remains achievable if states prioritize long-term stability over strategic rivalry.
“The seas should not divide nations. They should connect them through shared responsibility and shared benefit,” Tiu Laurel said in his presentation.
He said the “maritime community with a shared future” framework offers a practical pathway for transforming contested waters into areas of cooperation, particularly in fisheries management, environmental protection and maritime safety.
The ACPSSI chief said the Philippines and its neighbors should work toward a maritime order grounded in cooperation, mutual respect, and shared development rather than confrontation.
