More than 80 Network Members have endorsed APLN’s statement warning that renewed nuclear testing would destabilise global security. Published earlier this month, the statement urges the United States to confirm it will maintain its moratorium on nuclear explosive testing. The statement also calls on US allies and partners to actively oppose any resumption of nuclear testing – neither facilitating, supporting, nor remaining silent on the issue. Additionally, it urges all nuclear-armed states to reaffirm their commitment to upholding the global testing moratorium.

Mitsuru Kitano argues that President Trump’s volatile approach to nuclear testing exposes three key dangers: a longstanding inclination within his administration to resume testing, impulsive decision-making that overrides strategic national interests, and a worrying drift towards solitary, unchecked nuclear policymaking. Amplified by misinterpretation and the absence of professional scrutiny, this decision has already heightened global nuclear tensions.

Sahar Khan and Haleema Saadia argue that President Trump’s decision to resume US nuclear testing risks triggering a new global arms race, pressuring India and Pakistan to reconsider their testing moratoria. While renewed testing might offer limited technological benefits, it would carry major diplomatic and strategic costs for both countries. Instead, India and Pakistan should jointly reaffirm their commitment to a nuclear testing moratorium to strengthen their standing as responsible nuclear powers.

Wu Chunsi argues that the meeting between Presidents Xi Jinping and Donald Trump on the sidelines of the APEC Summit in Busan, South Korea, raises expectations for improved China-US relations. The two leaders formally endorsed the Kuala Lumpur framework agreement on tariffs and export controls, agreed to maintain high-level communication, and committed to continuing the China-US Economic and Trade Consultation Mechanism. The consensus reached in Busan provides a foundation to manage differences and stabilise bilateral relations. 

Lim Eunjung writes that despite global conflicts and rising protectionism, South Korea successfully hosted the 2025 APEC Summit in Gyeongju, achieving a number of diplomatic successes. The resulting Gyeongju Declaration reaffirmed APEC’s relevance by addressing new structural challenges beyond traditional trade, while bilateral talks between Presidents Trump and Xi underscored the summit’s importance. Ultimately, the summit offered a template for realistic multilateralism, reaffirming that dialogue and open economic exchange remain fundamental drivers of prosperity in the Asia-Pacific. 

Pramod Jaiswal and Bibek Dhoj Thapa observe that Nepal’s youth-led protests were a homegrown uprising fueled by deep-seated anger against systemic corruption, political stagnation, and elite capture, rather than being primarily driven by foreign influence. This movement serves as a warning to South Asian governments that ignoring the demands of a digitally-connected, politically-aware generation for accountability and reform carries severe political risks.