YCAPS Scholars Present at the2026 Taiwan International ...

YCAPS Scholars Present at the2026 Taiwan International Ocean Forum

The 2026 Taiwan International Ocean Form was held in Taipei on July 8 and 9. Joining experts and public officials from 16 countries, four YCAPS scholars shared their insights as panelists during the two-day event.

Preceding the conference, panelists and Maritime GENIE participants made a courtesy call to visit and hear remarks from President Lai Ching-te, as well as enjoyed a tour of the Taiwan 101 tower.

Several dozen people in suits stand on five tiers of the grand stairs of the Taiwan Presidential Residence, smiling at the camera. The president of Taiwan is in the center front. The first two rows are made up of government officials from many countries, and several YCAPS leaders are standing among the delegates in the four rows further up the stairs.

The conference opened with a morning of dialogues by public officials from Taiwan, the UK, the USA, India, the Netherlands, Japan, New Zealand, and Ukraine around questions of enhancing maritime resilience and translating strategy thereof into practice. In the afternoon, the conference shifted to panels of scholars and practitioners. John Bradford (YCAPS Executive Director & Managing Research Fellow) and Jeffrey Payne (YCAPS Senior Research Fellow) spoke on the panel about Emerging Issues in Indo-Pacific Security, from the role of maritime straights to maritime domain awareness. The day concluded with a panel on countering gray-zone activities and the role of the coast guard.

Five men and one woman sit in large padded chairs on the stage of the Taiwan International Ocean Forum. A sign in Chinese for the event and a projected slide with all of their headshots and titles are behind them. John Bradford holds the mic and is speaking thoughtfully. Jeffrey Payne is further down the line of panelists and is watching John.

The second day opened with a keynote speech by Semi Malaki, Deputy Secretary of the Ocean Unity of the Office of the Prime Minister of Tuvalu, on Tuvalu’s new National Ocean Policy and necessary next steps. In the panel that followed on ocean resilience for sustainable development, Jenna Lindeke Heavenrich (YCAPS Research Fellow & Director of Pacific Connect) built on Mr. Malaki’s points to elaborate on climate-related ocean issues that affect sustainable development in the Pacific.

A closer shot of the same stage. This time Jenna Lindeke Heavenrich and Arnab Das sit on the stage in the panel line-up, both are looking thoughtfully to their right as another panelist presents.

During the next panel, on Emerging Technologies for Ocean Governance, Benjamin Blandin (YCAPS Research Fellow) analyzed China’s maritime capabilities and technological prototypes from the perspective of what could actually be brought to bear in the case of a Taiwan Straights contingency.

Benjamin Blandin holds a microphone while sitting in a plush panelist chair, speaking with focus. Behind him is a slide display photos of six types of Chinese coast guard, naval, and militia ships/boats, detailing how many of each China has.

The conference concluded with a panel on empowering youth for ocean diplomacy and participatory policy-making. YCAPS and its scholars are grateful for the gracious invitations and partnership of the Taiwan Ocean Affairs Council for their participation in this event.