Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS)

A forum of navy chiefs from Western Pacific states, established in 1988, that meets to build cooperation, interoperability, and confidence among regional navies. Its main practical output is the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES), adopted at the 2014 WPNS in Qingdao, a non-binding set of safety procedures, communications, and maneuvering rules for naval ships and aircraft that meet unexpectedly. WPNS is consultative, producing agreed guidance rather than treaty obligations.