Viet Nam's coastal provinces and cities have been undergoing rapid economic growth over the past 10 years. Fifty percent of the major urban centers, which are inhabited by 23 percent of the country's population of about 86 million (2009), are located along the coastal areas. The country's coastal and marine waters contribute approximately 48 percent of the national GDP and about 80 percent of the total fisheries catch.

Timor-Leste is a country endowed with natural beauty, including magnificent coral reefs, pristine coastal waters, and megafauna assemblages including whales, dolphins, whale sharks, orcas and manta rays. It is also a young country that is in the process of rebuilding its physical, governance and institutional structures, with primary focus on poverty reduction and promotion of equitable and sustainable economic growth.

Since 2009, Singapore has been implementing Integrated Urban Coastal Management (IUCM) based on the Integrated Coastal Management framework advocated by PEMSEA which takes into account Singapore’s unique urban context.

The Government of the Republic of Korea promulgated the Framework Law on Ocean and Fisheries Development and its ocean strategy, the Ocean Korea 21 (OK 21), in 2002. These two documents are the backbone of ocean policy of the country. Currently, the government is implementing a 10-year operational plan for the OK 21, which covers most of the commitments on oceans and coasts under the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) and the Sustainable Development Strategy for the Seas of East Asia (SDS-SEA).

A global center of marine diversity, an archipelago with more than 7,100 islands, and one of the longest coastlines in the world, the Philippines provides visitors with access to all that is wondrous and beautiful about the ocean and coastal resources, as well as insights into the challenges to sustainable development and management of those very resources.

Lao PDR is strongly linked with its river systems. More than 80% of Lao PDR is within the Mekong River basin, providing the country with the highest per capita water allocation in the region. Spanning the Sekong, Saravane and Champasack provinces, the Sedone Rivers basin is one of the major river basins of the country, and has a total land area of 7,229km2.

In Japan, the Basic Act on Ocean Policy was established on 20 April 2007 and enacted on 20 July 2007. This act served as an overarching and cross-cutting policy framework for oceans and coastal areas. Based on the act, the Headquarters for Ocean Policy, which is comprised of a multi-ministry body headed by the Director-General, was established in the Cabinet. The Secretariat of Headquarters for Ocean Policy consists of staff from 8 related ministries. In March 2008, the Basic Plan on Ocean Policy was established in line with the Act.

Indonesia’s long history of implementing marine and coastal management programs and projects since the 1990s contributed to the development and implementation of critical environmental and ocean-related policies, legislations, plans and programs.