Institute for Maritime and Ocean Affairs

www.imoa.ph

Malaysia calls for expanded use of CUES in South China Sea

Sam Galope

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December 2, 2015

ADIZ, Air Defense Identification Zone, Artificial Islands, China, Convention on Unintended Encounters at Sea, CUES, Malaysia, Militarization, Military Conflict, Philippines, Reclamation, Regular Patrols, South China Sea Dispute, Spratlys, USA

The Royal Malaysian Navy has called for CUES to be used by other maritime agencies in the region

Move is aimed at further preventing possible escalation of incidents in South China Sea

The Chief of the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN), Admiral Kamarulzaman Ahmad Badaruddin, has called for wider use of a naval protocol that was ratified in 2014.

The protocol, known as the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES), was agreed upon unanimously by 25 Asia-Pacific countries. It consists of standardised phrases for naval ships and aircraft to use in unexpected encounters, especially in contested maritime regions.