Technological advancements lead to a deeply interconnected geopolitical and even digital landscape. As traditional security risks persist, new security challenges, such as disinformation and cybersecurity, will also emerge. As a consequence, these asymmetric challenges will contribute to the complexity of the security landscape in the Indo-Pacific. States concerned with protecting the rules-based international order must consider prioritizing the digital order.

Issues in the digital world include concerns about disinformation tactics, psychological operations, and cyber warfare. In relation to maritime security, the Philippines has evolved its strategy to assertive transparency, which includes keeping the public and the international community informed about the developments in the West Philippine Sea. In 2023, increased public awareness and support for the West Philippine Sea was aligned to counter massive disinformation campaigns.

Foreign policies and security strategies are continuously reformulated to leverage digital tools to address current and emerging challenges. As such, unveiling and understanding asymmetric security challenges through assertive transparency measures becomes paramount in shaping diplomatic, defense, and economic initiatives. Assertive transparency measures not only serve to counter digital influence operations and information warfare but also act as a foundation for building trust among nations, reinforcing regional stability, and upholding the rules-based international order.

Considering these factors, the Stratbase ADR Institute, in partnership with the Embassy of Australia in the Philippines, organized a hybrid townhall discussion entitled, “Unveiling Asymmetric Challenges through Assertive Transparency” on February 13, 2024, from 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM (PHT).

This event gathered key experts to discuss their latest publications on disinformation and maritime security in the Philippines. To shed light on asymmetric challenges, these research projects demonstrate the interplay between maritime security and assertive transparency.