Strategy in Action: The Tri-Service Maritime Strategy in the Western Pacific

The People's Republic of China's aggressive approach to competition in Southeast Asia and the SCS has established a new status quo that creates an unacceptable risk to the rules-based international order. China's actions isolate and intimidate United States' allies and partners, and threaten freedom of navigation, trade, security, and the once-abundant natural resources in the region. The Tri-Service Maritime Strategy (TSMS) provides a multi-service, strategic framework that establishes goals for the Naval Service to address challenges associated with Great Power Competition and can alter the status quo vis-a-vis the PRC. To realize the TSMS's full potential INDOPACOM should operationalize to employ all domain naval power in innovative ways or novel combinations across the competition continuum to achieve theater objectives. The maritime-focused theater campaign will maximize the Naval Force's contribution ultimately improving cooperation, managing PRCs coercive activities, and setting conditions for crisis and conflict.