Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI)

The Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) is a research program affiliated with the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a US-based think tank. AMTI focuses on monitoring and analyzing developments related to maritime security, particularly in the South China Sea. It uses open-source information, satellite imagery, and other data to track activities and assess their implications. AMTI is newsworthy due to its recent reports detailing China's activities in the South China Sea during 2025. These reports highlight a 'record-high' deployment of China's maritime militia and an 'unprecedented' presence at contested sites like Scarborough Shoal. These findings are significant because they provide evidence of China's continued efforts to assert its maritime claims in the region, contributing to ongoing tensions and debates about freedom of navigation and regional security.