China Coast Guard Hosts First Pan-Asia-Pacific Maritime Conference
The China Coast Guard (CCG) opened the 22nd Heads of Asian Coast Guard Agencies Meeting (HACGAM) High-Level Meeting in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, on September 8 — marking the first time China has hosted this Pan-Asia-Pacific multilateral forum. The conference brings together maritime law enforcement agencies from 23 countries and regions, alongside two international organizations, with 124 representatives participating, according to Xinhua News.
A Milestone in Regional Maritime Diplomacy
The meeting represents a significant step in China’s maritime diplomacy, transitioning from a participant to a leader in regional maritime security governance. CCG Spokesperson Liu Dejun emphasized the forum’s evolution, noting that “the Asian Regional Coast Guard Agencies High-Level Meeting has evolved over more than two decades, with its membership covering East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and some countries outside the region,” as reported by China News Service.
Liu highlighted China’s strategic trajectory, stating that “from hosting the North Pacific Coast Guard Forum last year to hosting the Asian Regional Coast Guard Agencies High-Level Meeting for the first time this year, China has moved from ‘North Pacific Plus’ to ‘Asia-Pacific Plus,’ from six-nation in-person gatherings to broader Pan-Asia-Pacific multilateral consultations.”
Agenda Focused on Non-Traditional Security
The conference addresses a complex and volatile regional maritime security environment, with discussions centered on six key areas: preventing and combating illegal maritime activities, maritime search and rescue, marine ecological environment protection, information sharing, joint exercises, and capacity building. According to China Daily, the meeting will focus on “non-traditional security challenges and ways to manage risks and crises amid a ‘complex and volatile’ regional maritime security situation.”
Two special themes anchor the proceedings: “Practicing the Global Security Initiative” and “Marine Carbon Sink Law Enforcement.” The latter reflects China’s growing emphasis on modern marine governance, particularly as 2026 marks the fifth anniversary of the implementation of the People’s Republic of China Coast Guard Law, which took effect on February 1, 2021.
Building on Prior Engagements
China’s hosting of this year’s high-level meeting follows a series of diplomatic milestones. In September 2025, China hosted the 25th North Pacific Coast Guard Forum High-Level Meeting in Shanghai — the first time all six member agencies (Canada, Japan, South Korea, Russia, the United States, and China) had sent representatives since 2019.
Earlier this year, the CCG hosted the HACGAM working-level meeting from May 18-21 in Quanzhou, Fujian Province, which drew representatives from 18 countries and regions and two international organizations. As China Military Online reported, more than 80 representatives attended, including delegates from Australia, Bahrain, the Republic of Korea, and Vietnam, alongside officials from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime and the ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre.
The HACGAM Framework
The HACGAM was established in 2004 under Japan’s initiative, created in response to the rapid increase in piracy and armed robbery against ships in Southeast Asian waters beginning in 1999. The forum aims to “develop capabilities in coast guard organizations for the Asian region through working-level discussions on maritime safety, security, and environmental protection,” according to the HACGAM official website.
Today’s membership spans from Australia to Turkey, encompassing major maritime nations across the Asia-Pacific region. The secretariat is provided by the Japan Coast Guard.
Analysis: A Strategic Shift in Maritime Governance
The significance of China hosting this forum extends beyond the event itself. Analysts see it as part of Beijing’s broader effort to shape regional maritime security architecture through its Global Security Initiative and the vision of a “maritime community with a shared future.” These concepts, promoted by President Xi Jinping, reflect China’s approach to regional and global security governance.
China’s progression from hosting the six-member North Pacific forum to convening a 23-member Pan-Asia-Pacific gathering signals a deliberate strategy to position itself as a central actor in regional maritime cooperation. The inclusion of the marine carbon sink law enforcement theme also highlights China’s attempt to integrate environmental governance into maritime security discussions — a framing that aligns with its broader climate diplomacy.
What to Watch For
As the conference continues, observers will be watching for concrete outcomes, including potential joint exercise commitments, information-sharing protocols, and capacity-building initiatives among participating agencies. The meeting’s success in translating dialogue into actionable cooperation will determine whether China’s expanded role in the HACGAM framework translates into lasting influence over regional maritime governance.
With the forum now underway in Hangzhou, the coming days will reveal whether this first-time hosting marks the beginning of a more prominent Chinese role in shaping the rules and norms of maritime security cooperation across the Asia-Pacific region.