Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative

AMTI aims to promote transparency in the Indo-Pacific to dissuade assertive behavior and conflict and generate opportunities for cooperation and confidence building

Visit amti.csis.org

The maritime environment in East Asia contains both promise and peril. The Indo-Pacific region is host to some of the world’s most important shipping lanes, facilitates huge volumes of regional trade, and boasts abundant natural resources. Competing territorial claims, incidents between neighboring countries, and increasing militarization, however, raise the possibility that an isolated event at sea could become a geopolitical catastrophe. This is all occurring against a backdrop of relative opaqueness. Geography makes it difficult to monitor events as they occur, and there is no public, reliable authority for information on maritime developments.

The Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative seeks to change this. AMTI was conceived of and designed by CSIS. It is an interactive, regularly-updated source for information, analysis, and policy exchange on maritime security issues in Asia. AMTI aims to promote transparency in the Indo-Pacific to dissuade assertive behavior and conflict and generate opportunities for cooperation and confidence building. Because AMTI aims to provide an objective platform for exchange, AMTI and CSIS take no position on territorial or maritime claims.

AMTI Leadership

Gregory B. Poling

Gregory B. Poling

Senior Fellow and Director, Southeast Asia Program and Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative
Harrison Prétat

Harrison Prétat

Associate Director and Associate Fellow, Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative

All content by Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative

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The U.S. Alliance with the Philippines

The Biden administration will face hard choices regarding the U.S.-Philippine alliance, which is under severe strain. Pushing too hard for U.S. access could provoke a backlash, but playing it safe risks inviting China to test the limits of the weakened alliance.

Commentary by Michael J. Green and Gregory B. Poling — December 3, 2020

Online Event: Tenth Annual South China Sea Conference, Session Four

The CSIS Southeast Asia Program and Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative are pleased to present the Tenth Annual South China Sea Conference: Session Four. This session will feature a panel discussion on the importance of the South China Sea in U.S. foreign policy, and the challenges it will present to the next administration.

Event by Gregory B. Poling , Elbridge Colby , and Bonnie S. Glaser — October 9, 2020

Photo: Petty Officer 3rd Class Cody Beam/dvids

Online Event: Tenth Annual South China Sea Conference, Session Two

The CSIS Southeast Asia Program and Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative are pleased to present the Tenth Annual South China Sea Conference: Session 2 on Wednesday, August 12, 2020.

Event by Gregory B. Poling , James Kraska , Robert Beckman , and Trang Phạm Ngọc Minh — August 12, 2020

Photo: Pixel-Shot/AdobeStock

Online Event: Tenth Annual South China Sea Conference, Keynote and Session One

The CSIS Southeast Asia Program and Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative are pleased to present the Tenth Annual South China Sea Conference: Keynote and Session One on Tuesday, July 14, 2020. 

Event by Gregory B. Poling , David R. Stilwell , Richard Javad Heydarian , Nong Hong , and Nguyen Hung Son — July 14, 2020

Photo: Petty Officer 2nd Class Brenton Poyser

How Significant Is the New U.S. South China Sea Policy?

On July 13, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced an important shift in U.S. declaratory policy on the South China Sea. CSIS’s Greg Poling breaks down the new U.S. position and what it means for the future of the disputes.

Critical Questions by Gregory B. Poling — July 14, 2020

Photo: U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Brandon Richardson

America First versus Wolf Warriors: Pandemic Diplomacy in Southeast Asia

The pandemic has opened a new front in the U.S.-China competition for influence in Southeast Asia. And for the most part, the region seems unimpressed. Washington has been slow to seize the strategic opportunity China’s missteps in pandemic diplomacy presents.

Commentary by Gregory B. Poling and Kim Mai Tran — June 18, 2020

Photo: TANG CHHIN SOTHY/AFP via Getty Images

Ninth Annual South China Sea Conference

The CSIS Southeast Asia Program and Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative are pleased to present the Ninth Annual South China Sea Conference on Wednesday, July 24, 2019.

Event by Gregory B. Poling , Michael J. Green , Bonnie S. Glaser , and Amy Searight — July 24, 2019