Over the past decade or so, there have been increasing incidents of naval standoffs and violent encounters between maritime forces and fishing (and other) vessels, both in Southeast and Northeast Asian waters. There is a growing fear that such incidents might escalate out of control and that a framework to minimise this danger is necessary. An 'incident at sea agreement' is often suggested as a possible solution. For well over a decade, the Western Pacific Naval Symposium has had a voluntary code in place for its member navies; the June 2003 version is reproduced below.
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