True blue

SHI YU/CHINA DAILY As the strategic competition between China and the United States intensifies, Southeast Asia has become a key arena. As a key participant in East Asian and broader regional governance, ASEAN has been promoting the solution of regional maritime issues through its cooperation framework centered on the "ASEAN plus "mechanism. However, the strategic competition between China and the US makes it difficult for ASEAN to demonstrate sufficient leadership and authority within its own maritime cooperation mechanisms, creating opportunities for Washington and Beijing to engage in the alignment of issues with the regional bloc and supplement regional maritime order construction. Additionally, as the maritime sector has become a crucial entry point for the US to contain China, Washington has sought to exacerbate disputes between China and neighboring countries over maritime boundaries and resources disputes, encouraging unilateral provocations by South China Sea claimants, and undermining the peaceful resolution of the disputes framework painstakingly formed by ASEAN and China. In addition to high-level exchanges and dialogue mechanisms between leaders and maritime departments, China has also led the establishment of several mechanisms and platforms, such as the China-ASEAN Maritime Consultation Mechanism, China-ASEAN Marine Cooperation Center, China-ASEAN Port Cities Cooperation Network Forum, and the East Asia Marine Cooperation Platform, which serve as important links in building blue partnerships and a community of shared interests.