Plenary Session 1 – The Scene-Setter: Regional Security Adrift? Fireside Chat on the State of the Asia Pacific

The opening session will comprehensively and objectively assess regional security and identify the principal sources of instability, including intensifying major-power competition, the growing use of coercion and force, especially in the maritime domain, economic fragmentation, and the spillover effects from conflicts beyond the region, among others. Panelists will examine how these developments challenge international law and established norms, strain global and regional governance, and test the effectiveness of existing cooperative mechanisms for preventing conflict, managing disputes, and preserving regional stability. The session will provide the strategic context for the discussions that follow.