The ocean is critical to the lives and livelihoods of Pacific people, and Pacific Island countries manage more than 10% of the earth’s oceans. This set of 13 papers examines what maritime security means in the Pacific Islands region, what maritime security mechanisms exist and what forms of assistance partners are providing in the region.

This publication contains a collection of analytical essays on Japan’s and Australia’s respective approaches to geopolitics, Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands, and the overlay of democracy on development and diplomacy towards those subregions.

This paper asserts that Australia has a direct interest in a stable and prosperous Indian Ocean. This means a region where people can trade freely and where countries are able to pursue their development and prosperity.

A recurrent theme in Australia’s defence strategy has been our reliance on and need to defend Australia’s trade routes in a globalised world. The strengths and vulnerabilities of our linkages to the world are becoming more evident, and are the focus of this report.

The Australian Government requested this independent analysis to assess the Royal Australian Navy’s surface combatant fleet capability to ensure its size, structure and composition complemented the capabilities of the forthcoming conventionally-armed, nuclear-powered submarines.