| This week, we published an infographic highlighting how states in Asia and the Pacific balance national priorities and contemporary geopolitical pressures. The infographic is based on discussions with experts from the region at the APLN Asia-Pacific Roundtable on Asia-Pacific Geopolitics and the US-China Strategic Competition.
As always, we highlight recent activities from our network, including analyses on the ROK-US Summit, China’s latest military parade, the launch of Malaysia’s first fully sovereign AI model, Indonesia’s role as a strategic actor in the Indo-Pacific, and more. |
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Navigating Contemporary Geopolitics in Asia and the Pacific
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The Asia-Pacific is navigating a complex landscape where national and regional priorities, such as sovereignty, security, sustainable development, and climate action, are increasingly challenged by global power rivalries, militarisation, and escalating tensions. Our latest infographic unpacks these priorities, pressures, challenges, and opportunities, offering insights into how states can balance competing demands and build pathways towards greater stability and cooperation in the region.
This infographic is based on a roundtable on Asia-Pacific Geopolitics and the US-China Strategic Competition, with experts from the Asia-Pacific, conducted as part of APLN’s project on Voices from the Pacific Island Countries. The project is supported by the Ploughshares Fund.
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See Other Infographics in this Series
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| This infographic explores how nuclear risks are perceived and experienced across the different sub-regions of the Asia-Pacific. It highlights both the convergences and divergences in regional perspectives, the transnational and humanitarian impacts of nuclear weapons, and the opportunities for building synergies to mitigate these risks across the region. |
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| The TPNW has seen great progress since entering into force in 2021, but still has a long way to go. This infographic explains which states in the Pacific have acceded to the treaty, which have not yet ratified, and which are opposed. |
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| We detail the countries and islands that were affected by nuclear testing with visual data on the number of nuclear weapons tested, timeline and scale of tests, and the testing countries responsible. |
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| We explore the concept of nuclear justice and break down its three components: retributive justice, restorative/reparative justice, and procedural justice. This infographic provides concrete examples of actions that the international community can take to redress the harm done to affected communities. |
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| On September 4, APLN members Manpreet Sethi, Michiru Nishida, Hwang Yong-soo, Angela Woodward, Alvin Chew, Senior Policy Fellow Joel Petersson Ivre and Associate Fellow Karla Mae Pabeliña met in Seoul and engaged in in-depth discussions on pressing issues related to nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, exchanging insights on global and regional security trends and reflecting on opportunities for collaboration. |
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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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| Kim Won-soo, former Under Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs of the United Nations, wrote for The Korea Times, arguing that President Lee Jae Myung’s first summit with President Trump exceeded low expectations by establishing personal rapport, avoiding diplomatic missteps, and setting the stage for upcoming events like the APEC Summit. |
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| Tong Zhao, Senior Fellow at the Nuclear Policy Programme and the China Centre of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, wrote for The Economist and explained why China should resist fueling arms races and instead champion a rules-based nuclear order. |
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| Rabia Akhtar, Director of the Centre for Security, Strategy and Policy Research at the University of Lahore, was quoted in the CNN, where she commented on the SCO Summit in Tianjin and observed that Beijing wants to signal China is the indispensable convener in Eurasia, capable of bringing rivals to the same table and translating great-power competition into managed interdependence. |
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| Wu Riqiang, Professor of International Relations at Tsinghua University, published a paper in International Security, emphasising that Washington should exercise restraint in its strategic capabilities, Beijing should adopt an interagency arms control decision-making mechanism, and both sides should continue engaging in nuclear dialogues. |
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| Elina Noor, Senior Fellow in the Asia Programme at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, wrote for the South China Morning Post, highlighting that building meaningful AI requires more than just hardware. It is the software – the data that encodes knowledge – that truly matters. |
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| Natalie Sambhi, Founder and Executive Director of Verve Research, and Yohanes Sulaiman join David Andrews in the latest episode of The National Security Podcast to explore Indonesia’s evolving role as a strategic actor in the Indo-Pacific and its relationships with major players in the region. |
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