As the world's navies struggle to stem the rising tide of piracy off the coast of Somalia, the maritime security situation in Southeast Asia continues to meliorate. This laudable state of affairs comes more than five years after a furor erupted in the region over how best to provide for security in the Malacca Strait, the vital artery of world trade that links Northeast Asia with the Indian Ocean and through which a significant proportion of global commerce and energy supplies passes. Ian Storey describes the evolution of maritime security in Southeast Asia and the challenges that remain.

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