A YCAPS research group has worked for nearly a year investigating potential avenues for improved cooperation between coast guards to strengthen maritime governance in the Indo-Pacific. The study reveals that by working together, coast guards can be more effective in their efforts to maintain good order at sea. At the same time, coast guards are increasingly being called on to defend sovereignty claims. Therefore, inter-state competition must be factored in when assessing projects that optimize their cooperative activities.
The primary research output was comprehensive study YCAPS produced for the Japan Transport and Tourism Institute titled "Prospects for the Quad Coast Guards to Cooperate Toward Implementation of the Free and Open Indo-Pacific Vision." Authored by John Bradford, Dr Kei Koga and Dr Scott Edwards, this report can be downloaded here. The project was also supported by Dr Takuya Matsuda and Gabriela Wurst.
Other contributors of this research project have included VADM Anil Chopra (IN ret), CAPT Simon Bateman (RAN ret), Dr Pooja Bhatt, Dr Bec Strating, Dr Kate Clayton, CDR Greg Adams (USN ret), Blake Herzinger and James Sullivan.
Featured Output:
Prospects for the Quad Coast Guards to Cooperate Toward Implementation of the Free and Open Indo-Pacific Vision, by John Bradford, Kei Koga and Scott Edwards.
Other outputs from this project:
PacNet #2 – The Indian Coast Guard, the Quad, a free and open Indo-Pacific by Pooja Bhatt, 10 Jan 2023 (edited by John Bradford and Blake Herzinger).
PacNet #4 – The Japan Coast Guard’s role in realizing a Free and Open Indo-Pacific by Kentaro Furuya, 12 Jan 2023 (edited by John Bradford and Blake Herzinger).
PacNet #5 – Australia’s Maritime Border Command: Grappling with the Quad to realize a free and open Indo-Pacific, by Kate Clayon and Bec Strating, 17 Jan 2023 (edited by John Bradford and Blake Herzinger).
PacNet #9 – The US Coast Guard: Provide public goods for a free and open Indo-Pacific, by James Sullivan, 31 Jan 2023 (edited by John Bradford and Blake Herzinger).
U.S. Coast Guard Is Helping Southeast Asians Protect Their Seas, Foreign Policy, by John Bradford and Scott Edwards, 9 Mar 2023.
PacNet #42 – Coast Guard Cooperation: Heading off a Troubling Storm? by John Bradford and Scott Edwards, 8 Jun 2023.
Scott Edwards interviewed on BBC, 8 June 2023.
John Bradford quoted in New York Times, Why the Battle for Supremacy in Asia Begins With China’s Coast Guard, 12 June 2023.
Southeast Asia's Partners must Coordinate Maritime Security Support, Nikkei Asia, by Scott Edwards, 13 June 2023 (produced in cooperation with Blue Security).
Quad Coast Guards in the Indo-Pacific: Informal Policy Transfer and Networks, International Studies Association Asia Conference, Tokyo, Japan, 8 Aug 2023.