TOWARD INTEGRATION: THE NEW CHANGE IN THE U.S. MARITIME SECURITY STRATEGY

In recent years, the U.S. has pursued a maritime security strategy centred on the “Reassertion of Maritime Dominance.” On December 17, 2020, the American Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard jointly released “Advantage at Sea: Prevailing with Integrated All-Domain Naval Power”. This paper focuses on the centralised integration characteristics in this strategic report, and examines the following questions: What is the integration strategy? Where does the integration strategy come from? How will the integration strategy impact actors in the international community? This paper states that, the integration strategy, as a multidimensional strategy across U.S. institutions and alliances, seeks to counter competitors. This strategy’s core themes can be perceived in the integration of national competencies and international actors. The paper observes the origins of this integration strategy, seizing key driving factors such as historical continuity, strategic necessity, the insignificance of military superiority, shifts in international order, technological advancement, and emerging threats. Challenges to the implementation of this strategy lie in domestic political and economic constraints and conflicting interests with allies. Finally, this paper assesses the implications of this integration strategy for rival states, allied networks, and the broader international order. Overall, this paper fills the academic gap in the field of the integration feature of U.S. maritime security strategy, inspiring further research on American grand strategy and great power rivalry. Keywords: Integration Strategy, U.S. Maritime Security Strategy, Great Power Rivalry