US strengthens coastguard presence in Asia amid rise of ‘coercive and antagonistic' behaviours

The US Coast Guard (USCG) will be expanding its engagement with partner countries in what Washington refers to as the Indo-Pacific amid increasing threats to maritime safety and freedom of navigation in the region, said USCG Commandant Admiral Karl Schultz in a recent phone-in interview with reporters.

“In the face of coercive and antagonistic behaviour, the USCG offers transparent engagement and partnership,” said Adm Schultz, without making references to any specific countries. “Our specialised capabilities and expansive international relationships enable us to build partnerships, and rules-based values and behaviours that we want to see in the region.”

Adm Schultz noted that deployments of USCG vessels into the region will complement the existing presence of US Navy (USN) warships in the region and assist partner countries in asserting their own sovereignty.

“Many young Indo-Pacific nations lack the capacity and capability to fully police their sovereign waters, making them vulnerable to narcotics trafficking, human smuggling, illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, piracy, and other nefarious activities,” he said. “Through engagement, partnership, and presence we are a maritime bridge between the Department of Defense’s lethality and the State Department’s diplomacy.”

Adm Schultz expressed hope that countries in the region would see the USCG as the partner of choice as they seek out training providers to build their own capabilities.