FRONTLINES OF THE SOUTH CHINA SEA: FIRESIDE CHAT WITH REAR ADMIRAL JAY TARRIELA - Join the Indo-Pacific Security Initiative (IPSI) of the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security will host a fireside chat with Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela of the Philippines Coast Guard on maritime security developments in the South China Sea.

Tensions in the South China Sea continue to intensify as the People’s Republic of China escalates its assertive maritime posture across disputed waters—threatening regional stability and challenging the rules-based international order. As regional partners and US allies work to deter further aggression, firsthand operational perspectives are essential to understanding the evolving security landscape.

Tarriela, who serves as commander of the West Philippine Sea Transparency Group, will draw on his direct operational experience to discuss the latest maritime security dynamics in the South China Sea, ongoing efforts to deter and mitigate Chinese aggression, and the strategic imperatives shaping the region’s security architecture.

ORIGINAL AIRDATE - 06/26/2026