Sea control is more important than ever. With 80-90 percent of the global trade over sea, it is impossible to maintain the current economic order without stability and security of the world's major trading routes. However, more forces than ever are able to destabilize the global maritime network. Whether it is a resurgence in piracy, increased terrorist threats, or state paramilitary organizations, the number of threats at sea is increasing. Today we sat down with Pieter Zhao to discuss these new threats. We also talk about his research into how states are choosing to meet these threats including his work on private maritime security firms and paramilitary maritime forces. 

Articles Discussed:

https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/nwc-review/vol77/iss1/7/

https://militairespectator.nl/artikelen/winning-without-fighting-indo-pacific

Pieter Zhao is a PhD Researcher at the Erasmus University in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. His current research project focuses on maritime warfare and security from an applied historical perspective, specifically concerning non-state actors and irregular warfare at sea. After completing his BA and MA in History, he pursued a second Master’s degree in International Security Studies at Sciences Po, Paris. He completed part of his graduate studies at the Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies in Washington DC, focusing on US-China relations, maritime security, and nuclear proliferation. As a historian, his research interests include international security and geopolitics, specifically in the maritime domain and the Indo-Pacific region. He has previously published in the Naval War College Review, European Journal of East Asian Studies, Comparative Strategy, Militaire Spectator, and the Strategy Bridge.