New strategies could curb coercion in Maritime Asia.

• Author: Machi, Vivienne
• Position: Global Defense

The U.S. military must alter its strategic approaches to deterrence in the maritime domain as it faces increased competition and more complex threats in the Asia-Pacific, analysts and officials said.

The United States and its allies have struggled to develop effective strategies to curb China's renewed assertive nature in regional maritime disputes, and the tensions that follow, according to a recent report titled, "Countering Coercion in Maritime Asia" by the Washington, D.C.- based think tank, the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

"If U.S. leaders do not adopt a deliberate and forward-looking strategy for countering coercion, they will continue the existing practice of responding to crises rather than shaping them," the report said.

The report's authors examined recent incidents of so-called gray zone conflict--defined as aggressive and coercive activity that is designed to remain below the threshold of conventional military conflict--in the Asia-Pacific region. The report detailed recommendations for U.S. policymakers, and suggested areas where the United States could boost its use of capabilities to protect its regional interests.

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The United States has declined to use forces such as the Coast Guard to deter aggressive behaviors, while Beijing has actively used these types of government vessels in maritime disputes, the report said. But limitations on budget, mission and personnel have restricted the Coast Guard's use in the...