Dear Network Members and Colleagues,

This week the APLN features two new special reports on how to reduce tensions and enhance trust across the Asia-Pacific: Brigadier (Retd) Feroz Khan proposes trilateral confidence building measures in Southern Asia between China, India, and Pakistan; and Professor Sang Min Park, discusses a creative proposal for inter-Korean public health cooperation. Ambassador Shyam Saran also shares his thoughts on the upcoming COP26 in Glasgow, and Dr. Michiru Nishida writes about complementary approaches to nuclear disarmament.

• Developing a trilateral ‘strategic restraint regime’ in Southern Asia. 
• Negotiating formal trilateral conventional arms control agreements.
• Addressing the fear of asymmetric threats in Southern Asia.
• Transforming the region from the existential security-centric relationship into an economic-centric relationship.
• Expanding the scope of existing arms control and non-proliferation regimes.

• The establishment of a joint national disease management system and an inter-Korean Biomedical Cluster at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) or other border areas.
• Combining of traditional DPRK medicine with the ROK pharmaceutical sector to raise global competitiveness in the field of naturally derived drugs.
• The construction of a “One Health” general hospital, a joint center for bio-venture startups, and a bio-agricultural complex to support public health, industry, and agriculture in the two Koreas.