From July 5–10, 2026, the Yokosuka Council on Asia-Pacific Studies (YCAPS), in partnership with Taiwan's Ocean Affairs Council (OAC), successfully conducted the Taiwan Maritime GENIE (Governance Expanded Network for Innovation and Education) Workshop, bringing together 12 Maritime GENIEs from across the Indo-Pacific and Europe for an intensive week of learning, policy dialogue, and professional exchange in Taiwan. The workshop was designed to strengthen international collaboration on maritime governance, regional security, ocean sustainability, and maritime innovation while fostering a new generation of maritime policy leaders.
Throughout the week, participants engaged directly with Taiwan's leading maritime and security institutions. The program featured visits to the Evergreen Marine Seafarer Training Center, the Coast Guard Administration Headquarters, and the National Defense University, where the GENIEs received briefings on Taiwan's maritime strategy, coast guard operations, defense policy, and approaches to maritime governance. Participants also had the opportunity to meet with President Lai Ching-te at the Presidential Office, highlighting Taiwan's commitment to engaging emerging international maritime professionals and strengthening international dialogue on Indo-Pacific maritime affairs.
The workshop also included participation in the 2026 Taiwan International Ocean Forum (TIOF), held on July 8–9 in Taipei. Organized annually by the Ocean Affairs Council, the forum brought together government officials, parliamentarians, military leaders, academics, and think tank experts from different countries to discuss strategies for strengthening maritime resilience under the theme "Enhancing Maritime Resilience: From Strategy to Practice." Discussions focused on regional maritime security, gray-zone challenges, coast guard cooperation, sustainable ocean governance, emerging technologies, and youth engagement. By participating in the forum, the GENIEs were able to engage with leading international experts and policymakers while gaining broader perspectives on the evolving maritime security environment in the Indo-Pacific.
In addition to attending the forum, the participants took part in an expert exchange with Michael Schiffer, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia and former Deputy Director of USAID; Jeffrey Payne, Senior Reseach Fellow at YCAPS’ Joshua Burgin, Founder Alliance for Global Security; and others scholars and practitioners from Taiwan and behond. The discussion provided valuable insights into regional security dynamics and policy challenges.
The workshop culminated in the Taiwan Maritime GENIE Innovation Pitch Session, where the GENIEs presented original innovation proposals developed throughout the program to representatives from Taiwan's Ocean Affairs Council, Navy, Coast Guard Administration, and National Security Council. Covering topics such as maritime domain awareness, gray-zone operations, undersea cable resilience, fisheries governance, disaster response, and regional security cooperation, the proposals reflected the participants' diverse expertise and commitment to developing practical, policy-oriented solutions to contemporary maritime challenges. Each presentation was followed by a question-and-answer session, allowing senior officials to provide feedback, recommendations, and perspectives that will help participants further refine their proposals before their final publication.
The Taiwan workshop represented a key milestone in the Taiwan Maritime GENIE Program rather than its conclusion. Over the coming months, the GENIEs will participate in additional webinars to continue refining their proposals before the program concludes in October with the publication of their innovation papers and video pitches.
YCAPS is proudly working in collaboration with the Taiwan Ocean Affairs Council to empower future leaders with the Maritime Genie Program. Inquiries can be directed to Ivy Ganadillo (ivy.ganadillo@ycaps.org).