ASEAN Economic Security in the South China Sea (Results of the Track 1.5/2 Workshop)

The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) Philippines, in collaboration with the Foundation for the National Interest (FNI), organized a Track 1.5/2 Workshop on ASEAN Economic Security in the South China Sea on September 15–16, 2025. This workshop, supported by FACTS Asia, convened a diverse group of stakeholders, including policymakers, academics, civil society actors, and industry representatives from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand.

The event was designed to shift the focus from traditional territorial and military disputes in the South China Sea to the growing and urgent concerns of economic security. The discussions recognized that the region’s vulnerabilities are interconnected, spanning critical areas such as seabed mining, the protection of subsea cables, marine ecosystems, and maritime supply chains.

The workshop’s primary objectives were to:

• Identify the risks and vulnerabilities impacting ASEAN’s economic security in the South China Sea.
• Examine existing national and regional policy frameworks.
• Foster multi-stakeholder cooperation to address these challenges
• Generate actionable recommendations for ASEAN and its partners.

The discussions were structured around four key thematic areas: seabed mining and resource governance; submarine cables and digital infrastructure security; marine environmental protection and sustainable economic development; and supply chain resilience in the maritime domain.

This report serves as a summary of the workshop's key findings and policy recommendations. It is intended to provide a basis for future regional discussions and collaborative initiatives.