APLN's Member Statement on US-China Arms Control

20 Nov 2023 | APLN

20 November 2023

This week, APLN released a Network Members group statement supporting continuing dialogue between China and the United States on arms control and non-proliferation following last week’s Xi-Biden summit and the recent meeting of US and Chinese envoys on arms control.

We also share our upcoming side event on Strengthening a Nuclear-Free Pacific Region at the second Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW2MSP) and highlight activities from our network, including analysis on a wide range of issues, including Laos-China infrastructure cooperation and the responsible military use of artificial intelligence.

APLN Group Statement on China-US
Arms Control and Non-Proliferation

Over 85 members of APLN’s senior network have signed a statement supporting the recent arms control talks between the United States and China, urging the two countries to resume high-level bilateral dialogue on non-proliferation and disarmament. The statement follows last week’s meeting between President Joe Biden and President Xi Jinping, where the two world leaders discussed how to restore military-to-military communications between their armed forces, among other things.

In addition to the Xi-Biden meeting, the US and China held a rare meeting on arms control and nonproliferation on November 7th, when US Assistant Secretary Mallory Stewart and Chinese Director-General of Arms Control Sun Xiaobo met in Washington D.C. Given that this meeting was the first of its kind in years, the statement asks that the two nations build on these positive steps as responsible global powers and prioritize non-proliferation diplomacy in the years ahead.

The signed statement is available in English and Chinese.

Read the Statement

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Strengthening a Nuclear-Free Pacific Region

The Pacific Islands have long been at the forefront of global nuclear disarmament efforts. Even as the region continues to suffer the intergenerational human and environmental effects of those nuclear tests, Pacific states have made continuous efforts toward keeping the region free from nuclear weapons. In recent years, however, amidst escalating geopolitical tensions among major powers and the pressing climate crisis, they now face added challenges in safeguarding against nuclear risks and ensuring safety.

APLN is excited to host an in-person side event at the Second Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) on how nuclear policies pose serious challenges for the Pacific region and explore ways to ensure and maintain its nuclear-free status.

Learn more

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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.

See all member activities

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Insights on Wang Yi’s visit to the U.S.

Shen Dingli, Professor of the Institute of International Studies at Fudan University, was interviewed by CGTN. He commented that the US is attempting to create a more complex and nuanced approach to deal with China’s technological rise, a phenomenon that is relatively new.

Indonesia in the Emerging World Order

Elina Noor, Senior Fellow in the Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment, co-wrote an article with Christopher S. Chivvis and Beatrix Geaghan-Breiner. They discussed how Indonesia adopts a regional approach to world order and sees ASEAN as the primary forum to manage security issues.

Laos-China Infrastructure Cooperation: Legitimation and the Limits of Host-Country Agency

Cheng-Chwee Kuik, Professor of International Relations at the National University of Malaysia (UKM), examines the role and limits of host-county agency toward foreign-backed infrastructure connectivity cooperation, focusing on Laos’s engagement with China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

China-US Nuclear Arms Control Talks: A Much-Needed First Step

Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan, Director of the Centre for Security, Strategy, and Technology, wrote for the Diplomat on the US-China Nuclear Arms Control talks. She pointed out that these talks are crucial, especially given the numerous norms that have been broken in these sectors over decades. Hopefully, this dialogue will pave the way for more sustained engagement between the two countries.

Despite India-US 2+2, a Long and Solitary Haul

C. Uday Bhaskar, Director of the Society for Policy Studies (SPS), New Delhi, argued that the outcome of the Biden-Xi meeting will have a significant bearing on major power relationships, with varying impact on Russia, the EU, Japan and India.

Arms and the Man and AI

C. Raja Mohan, Senior Fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute, points out that AI should be an important part of India’s national defence plans, considering the significant military imbalance with China and the challenges Delhi faces from Beijing on both the Himalayan and maritime frontiers.

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