| This week at APLN, to mark the International Day against Nuclear Tests, we asked experts whether new nuclear weapon tests remain a possibility. Michiru Nishida explores the successes and challenges of the recent Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Preparatory Committee (PrepCom).
With national leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) gathering this week in Tonga to discuss climate resilience and regional security, among other issues, we revisit APLN analysis that highlights the urgent need to amplify Pacific voices on threats presented by climate change, nuclear weapons policies, and geopolitical competition.
As always, we share recent activities from our network, including analysis on inter-Korean relations, Pakistan navigating US-China competition, and more. |
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| To mark the International Day Against Nuclear Tests, APLN asked eight experts whether new nuclear weapon tests remain a possibility today.
Francesca Giovannini, Dmitry Stefanovich, Manpreet Sethi, Sitara Noor, John Tilemann, Mitsuru Kitano, Sang Hyun Lee and Man-Sung Yim analyse whether the benefits of explosive nuclear testing outweigh the costs and discuss what can be done to eliminate the risks of nuclear testing. |
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| Michiru Nishida explores the successes and challenges of the recent NPT PrepCom, questioning whether the efforts – and will – of States Parties will result in positive outcomes at the 2026 NPT Review Conference amidst a challenging international environment. |
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In this report from our Pacific Islands project, Elaine Natalie and Tanvi Kulkarni highlight the need for deeper engagement and collaboration within the Pacific Islands and expanded dialogue across the Asia-Pacific region, including people-to-people exchanges and Track 2 diplomacy. Based on publications, events, and research commissioned during the project period, they present six key findings from the project:
- The looming threat of the climate-nuclear-security nexus on Pacific Island communities
- The impact of US-China rivalry on Pacific solidarity and foreign policy
- The need for greater representation of Pacific perspectives
- The importance of nuclear justice and how it should be pursued
- How to build trust and engagement across the region
- The crucial role of women in fighting for a nuclear-free Pacific
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In this report from our Asia Dialogue on China-US Relations project, Sandra Tarte highlights Fiji’s role as a major player in the Pacific Islands and argues that the “Pacific Zone of Peace” concept should be prioritised and institutionalised as a major part of Fiji’s foreign policy, and that it should also feature prominently in the regional security agenda for the Pacific Islands.
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APLN has over 150 members from 22 countries in the Asia-Pacific.
Each week we feature their latest contributions
to global and regional security debates.
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| Melissa Parke, ICAN Executive director, writes for The Economist in response to recent articles on “the new nuclear threats” that advocated for the US building a larger arsenal. She argues that more nuclear weapons increases the likelihood that they will be used by accident, miscalculation, or mistake, and that Washington should instead engage in concerted diplomacy and immediate risk-reduction measures with other nuclear-armed states. |
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| Chung-in Moon, APLN Vice Chair, writes for Hankyoreh on the scandal involving Sue Mi Terry’s indictment by US federal prosecutors. He underscores that while the US and South Korea are close allies, they each have distinct institutions and systems that must be respected. He also emphasises that although public diplomacy with the US is important, it must strictly comply with American laws and institutions. |
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| Sadia Tasleem, Lecturer at Quaid-i-Azam University, co-authored a paper with M. V. Ramana in the Journal for Peace and Nuclear Disarmament, arguing that the dominant anti-nuclear discourse in Pakistan – focused on safety, security, and geopolitical factors – inadvertently normalizes nuclear weapons. They suggest that a broader critique should address how nuclear weapons impact everyday social and political life. |
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| Cheong Wook-sik, Director of the Hankyoreh Peace Institute and Director of the Peace Network, argues that embracing the concept of ‘post-North Korea’ – recognizing North Korea as a separate state rather than clinging to outdated notions of reunification – could gradually reduce hostilities and lower the risk of military conflict. |
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| Rabia Akhtar, Founding Director of the Centre for Security, Strategy and Policy Research at the University of Lahore, was featured in the show Pakistan Now, where she discussed the extent to which Pakistan is been coerced to be part of US bloc politics, and China and Pakistan are on a distance, how Pakistan balances itself between the two great power. |
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| Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan, Resident Senior Fellow at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), co-authored a report with Sameer Patil, Shravishtha Ajaykumar, and Prateek Tripathi. They identify and evaluate nuclear terrorism threats based on India’s counterterrorism experience over the past three decades, and recommend additional safeguards. |
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