| This week, we are delighted to welcome Zamir Akram and Humayun Kabir as our new network members. We co-hosted a workshop with Grandview Institution on the evolving China-US relationship and explored bilateral risk reduction measures. We also revisit a commentary by Melissa Conley Tyler, Tom Barber, and Grant Wyeth analysing why Australia is bucking the global trend on foreign aid.
As always, we highlight recent activities from our network, including analyses on gender equity in global health, the India-Pakistan conflict, Vietnam-US diplomatic relations, Israel’s airstrikes on Iran, and more. |
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APLN is pleased to welcome two new members to its network:
- Ambassador Zamir Akram (Pakistan), Advisor to the Strategic Plans Division, Government of Pakistan, former Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations and other International Organizations in Geneva (2008-2015).
- Ambassador Humayun Kabir (Bangladesh), former Ambassador of Bangladesh to the United States (2007-09), Nepal (2003-06), and High Commissioner to Australia and New Zealand (2006-07).
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On Thursday, 12 June, APLN and Grandview Institution (GVI) co-hosted a workshop with Chinese, US, and Korean experts in Beijing with the support of the Carnegie Corporation of New York and Longview Philanthropy. The dialogue focused on the evolving China-US relationship and explored political and nuclear risk reduction measures to reduce uncertainty and stabilize the relationship. APLN Vice Chair Chung-in Moon, APLN members Kim Won-soo, Tong Zhao, Wu Riqiang, Senior Research Adviser Frank O’Donnell, Policy Fellows Joel Petersson Ivre and Fang Liu participated in the workshop.
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The Good Neighbour: As Aid Cuts Abound, Australia Steps Forward
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According to the Lowy Institute’s 2025 poll, Australians now see their own country as the most influential power in the Pacific. This shift in perception reflects more than just public sentiment. As global aid budgets shrink, Australia has taken the opposite approach, increasing its assistance and embedding it within a broader strategy of regional stability and national interest. Melissa Conley Tyler, Tom Barber and Grant Wyeth argue that this bipartisan commitment reflects Canberra’s recognition that being a good neighbour in the Pacific is essential to its security and reputation, especially in light of past missteps and rising strategic competition.
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APLN has over 170 members from 23 countries in the Asia-Pacific.
Each week we feature their latest contributions
to global and regional security debates.
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| Helen Clark, former Prime Minister of New Zealand, co-wrote an article with Flavia Bustreo and emphasised the importance of structural reforms for gender equity in global health – reforms that address organisational culture, fair hiring processes, and a genuine commitment to gender equity. |
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| Frank O’Donnell, APLN Senior Research Adviser, spoke with Aadil Brar on TaiwanPlus News about the May 2025 India-Pakistan crisis, and explored the long-term implications of the first use of modern Chinese equipment in combat, and what it means for Taiwan and the world. |
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| Huong Le Thu, Deputy Director of Asia Program at the International Crisis Group, was featured in the Straight Talk Southeast Asia podcast, where she discussed Vietnam-US diplomatic relations as well as Vietnam’s political, diplomatic, and economic developments. |
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| C Uday Bhaskar, Director of the Society for Policy Studies (SPS), New Delhi, argued that Israel’s airstrikes on Iranian nuclear and military sites risk severe regional escalation and have disrupted ongoing US-Iran nuclear diplomacy. Amid growing instability and a weakening global consensus on nuclear governance, middle powers such as India, Germany, and Japan should help de-escalate the crisis and prevent a complete diplomatic breakdown. |
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| Dongkeun Lee, APLN Policy Fellow, was quoted by the Financial Times, where he noted that while Australia may be reluctant to see a key shipbuilder fall into foreign hands, Hanwha’s bid also presents an opportunity for a top-tier global player to invest capital and expertise into a domestic industry that has long been in decline. |
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