Avoiding conflict requires that states balance deterrence and reassurance. Deterrence plays an important role in discouraging aggression, but operationalising it can send unintended signals. Reassurance helps to prevent these signals from developing into escalatory spirals that could lead to conflict. In the Asia-Pacific, there are several flashpoints which require that a careful balance between deterrence and reassurance be maintained. This session considers how states in the region can best achieve that balance so as to avoid conflict in the region.