The Asia-Pacific Leadership Network, a group of former senior diplomats and military leaders from the Asia-Pacific region has issued an important call opposing any resumption of nuclear explosive testing, a move that would undermine decades of global restraint and threaten international security. 🧵⤵️

Today, 60 members of the Asia-Pacific Leadership Network (APLN) - including former foreign ministers, military commanders, two UN Secretaries-General, and security experts from the Asia-Pacific - warn in a new statement that a return to nuclear testing threatens global stability.

📢 Critical new @apln.network joint statement by 60 senior national security practitioners and experts, across 🇦🇺 🇨🇳 🇫🇯 🇮🇳 🇮🇩 🇯🇵 🇰🇮 🇲🇾 🇲🇭 🇲🇳 🇳🇵🇳🇿 🇵🇰 🇵🇭 🇰🇷 🇸🇬 🇱🇰 🇹🇭 -

60 members of the Asia-Pacific Leadership Network have signed and endorsed a group statement warning that a return to nuclear testing threatens global stability.

🚨 APLN is deeply concerned about announcements to resume nuclear testing. This would end nearly 3 decades of global consensus against nuclear explosive testing + threaten the stability of our region & the world. Here's why it's dangerous 🧵 (1/7) www.apln.network/analysis/sta...

President Trump's recent announcement could open a Pandora's box of nuclear testing, say @khansahar1.bsky.social and @haleemasaadia.bsky.social but it presents India and Pakistan a rare moment of normative leadership to jointly reaffirm their nuclear moratoriums.

New @apln.network commentary on implications of the nuclear testing debate for 🇮🇳 and 🇵🇰, by @khansahar1.bsky.social & @haleemasaadia.bsky.social -

When Trump posted about nuclear testing, I jumped on a call with @haleemasaadia.bsky.social to discuss what it would mean for South Asia if the US broke the moratorium on testing. The conversation led to this: www.apln.network/analysis/com... Thank you @apln.network!

Is nuclear testing making a comeback? Pres. Trump’s declaration about restarting US nuke tests risks unraveling decades of restraint In our @apln.network commentary, @khansahar1.bsky.social & I argue:India & Pakistan should reject nuclear testing and lead by example. www.apln.network/analysis/com...

At a time when great powers are drifting from restraint, South Asia can stand apart. Choosing responsibility over rivalry would strengthen both states’ credibility and leadership. #NukeSky 4/4 Read our full @apln.network piece ⬇️ www.apln.network/analysis/com...

APLN member Dewi Fortuna Anwar wrote for Global Asia and highlighted that #ASEAN countries, heavily dependent on global trade, have a vital stake in advancing #APEC 's goals and ensuring its continued relevance. www.globalasia.org/v20no3/cover...

APLN member Shyam Saran, former Indian Foreign Secretary, wrote for Global Asia and argued that this year’s #APEC summit could open the door for India’s long-awaited inclusion, recognising its growing economic and strategic weight in the region. www.globalasia.org/v20no3/cover...

In this APLN Korea Times column, @mariarostrublee.bsky.social warns that the potential resumption of 🇺🇸 nuclear testing would severely undermine the nuclear nonproliferation regime, destabilise regional security & further erode long-standing arms control frameworks. www.apln.network/analysis/the...

APLN member Cho Hyun, South Korean Foreign Minister, wrote for Global Asia and pointed out that as the Asia-Pacific faces growing fragmentation, APEC’s role as a platform for open, rules-based cooperation is more vital than ever. globalasia.org/v20no3/cover... #APEC2025

On 16 October, the APLN and @nti.org delegation met with experts from Fudan University & Shanghai Institutes for International Studies. Experts discussed lessons from the 2025 🇮🇳-🇵🇰 crisis and evaluated challenges to prevent accidental escalation in the 🇺🇸-🇨🇳 relationship.

APLN Vice Chair Chung-in Moon was interviewed by Japan Forward, where he offered insights on how #Seoul can navigate its delicate balancing act between the United States and China amidst a shifting geopolitical environment and security challenges. youtu.be/HB-DeRNEK0A?...

On 14 October, APLN members Li Bin and Wu Riqiang joined the Center for International Security and Strategy at Tsinghua University (CISS) to meet with the @nti.org and APLN delegation.

On October 13, the APLN and @nti.org delegation met with experts from the China Institute of Atomic Energy and the Horizon Insights Center to discuss the safe and secure peaceful applications of nuclear science and technology, as well as perspectives from Chinese scientists on fail-safe reviews.

On 11-12 October, 2025, APLN, @nti.org, and Grandview Institution co-hosted the second China-US Nuclear Fail-Safe Dialogue in Beijing. Building on the conceptual discussions at the first year of the dialogue, this year’s meeting featured more practical, rigorous, and forward-looking exchanges.

On 13 October, the APLN and @nti.org delegation visited China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the International Department of the CPC in Beijing, and held in-depth and candid discussions with senior officials. The delegation was accompanied by Ren Libo and Zhang Yi from Grandview Institution.

In this week's APLN The Korea Times column, APLN Senior Research Adviser @frank11285.bsky.social emphasises the urgent need to reduce U.S.-China #nuclear tensions and proposes unilateral fail-safe reviews as a practical interim measure to mitigate accidental risks. www.apln.network/analysis/the...

Following thought-provoking @apln.network @nti.org discussions in Beijing and Shanghai last week, I write in today's Korea Times on how the lack of 🇺🇸-🇨🇳 strategic nuclear dialogue is feeding dangerous misperceptions, and on the importance of unilateral nuclear fail-safe reviews -

Productive week of @apln.network nuclear dialogues in China. I’ll especially miss this view.

APLN expresses deep sorrow on the passing of our senior network member and former from Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jim Bolger, on Wednesday, Oct 15, 2025, at the age of 90. He was a pre-eminent statesman who legacy has shaped New Zealand’s domestic and foreign policy in historic ways.

What does the new Pakistan-Saudi Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement actually mean? My latest piece for @APLNofficial asks whether this pact is a credible security guarantee or simply political theatre. #NukeSky www.apln.network/analysis/com... 1/4

The Saudi-Pakistan SMDA can be best understood as politically expedient but strategically hollow, writes @haleemasaadia.bsky.social. She explains why Pakistan cannot, and is unlikely to, extend nuclear deterrence to Saudi Arabia in any meaningful sense. Read here ➡️ www.apln.network/analysis/com...

India’s salience in Asia will be determined by how it leverages rapidly shifting political and economic trends to its own advantage, writes columnist C. Raja Mohan.

APLN Senior Policy Fellow, Joel Petersson Ivre (@joelivre.bsky.social) writes for the Institute for Security and Development Policy on NATO and Korea-Sweden cooperation, examining the compatibility of South Korean and Swedish policy goals in Europe and the Indo-Pacific.

Pankaj Saran, former Deputy National Security Adviser of India, writes on India’s attendance at the SCO Summit, for our latest APLN x The Korea Times column. "The real significance of Tianjin is that it represented a visit by Modi to China after a gap of seven years."

Congratulations to our member Amb Ian Biggs on his appointment as the Chairperson of the IAEA Board of Governors for 2025–2026. Amb Biggs brings over four decades of diplomatic experience and is recognised for his deep expertise in international security, arms control, and counter-proliferation.

Pankaj Saran, former Deputy National Security Adviser of India, writes on India’s attendance at the SCO Summit, for our latest APLN x The Korea Times column. "The real significance of Tianjin is that it represented a visit by Modi to China after a gap of seven years."

This policy brief, by ELN Senior Policy Fellow Julia Berghofer, shows how France and the UK can advance fail-safe individually & bilaterally, as well as in the P3 & P5 contexts. Non-nuclear-weapon states in the NPT & NATO members could also support this. europeanleadershipnetwork.org/policy-brief...

🇰🇷🇸🇪 Policy brief: Political and Diplomatic Implications of South Korean Defense Cooperation with NATO: The Case of Sweden, by Joel Petersson Ivre. www.isdp.eu/publication/... @apln.network

In this commentary, HMGS Palihakkara highlights that the global nuclear non-proliferation regime is under severe strain, as nuclear weapon states continue to modernise their arsenals while neglecting their #disarmament obligations under the #NPT. www.apln.network/analysis/com...

Today is the Intl Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons. We revisit a commentary by Nobuyasu Abe, reflecting on three decades of progress and challenges in nuclear disarmament, and calling on Russia and the United States to extend the New START treaty. 🕊 www.apln.network/analysis/com...

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.

We are delighted to welcome Prof. Choi and Amb. Park to our Governing Board and look forward to their valuable engagement and guidance! 👏 View APLN’s Governing Board: www.apln.network/members/board

How do states in Asia and the Pacific balance national and regional priorities and contemporary geopolitical pressures? Explained in our new infographic, based on discussion at our Asia-Pacific RT on Geopolitics and the US-China Strategic Competition. @apln.network ➡️ tinyurl.com/2h2emytr

Last week, APLN members and staff 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.

In this commentary, H.E. Mr. Philémon Yang, President of the UN General Assembly, and @ctbto.bsky.social Executive Secretary Dr. Robert Floyd emphasise that the #CTBT has strengthened global security by establishing a powerful norm against nuclear testing. www.apln.network/analysis/com...

In this policy brief, Hideo Asano examines the political risks Japan faces regarding the potential deployment of the US sea-launched cruise missile (SLCM-N), particularly the domestic backlash over nuclear transits. Read here ⤵️ www.apln.network/projects/nuc...

On August 19-20, APLN hosted two workshops on Exploring New Maritime Confidence and Security Building Measures in the Asia-Pacific.

🆕 Ristian Atriandi Supriyanto argues that bridging the widening divide between #deterrence and #disarmament camps requires acknowledging both the dangers of nuclear deterrence and the limits of disarmament, and pursuing an integrated approach to global stability. www.apln.network/analysis/com...

In this APLN Korea Times column, Alvin Chew observes that while #Israel’s strikes on #Iran’s nuclear facilities have temporarily disrupted enrichment activities, Iran’s latent capabilities and stockpile of highly enriched uranium remain a concern. www.apln.network/analysis/the...

The APLN joint project Reducing the Risk of Nuclear Weapon Use in Northeast Asia, conducted in collaboration with the Research Center for Nuclear Weapons Abolition, Nagasaki University, and the Nautilus Institute, was featured in an interview with Dr. Tatsujiro Suzuki. www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/...

In this commentary, Sujata Mehta warns that while the horrors of #Hiroshima and #Nagasaki established a clear “never again” principle, current global crises and casual discussions of nuclear use risk eroding the nuclear taboo. www.apln.network/analysis/com...

Not a surprising move, although one can wonder about how much it will help... For some context, it might be worth checking out this paper we at @apln.network commissioned from Kim Jina, now second vice foreign minister of ROK, two years back. www.apln.network/analysis/spe...

In this commentary, Monalisa Hazarika draws attention to the global #hibakusha, victims of testing, mining, and radioactive contamination, whose plight has been largely ignored, revealing deep links between #nuclear harm, colonialism, and systemic inequality. www.apln.network/analysis/com...

Amid great power tensions, developments in emerging technologies, & escalating nuclear threats, the risk of inadvertent nuclear use is rising. With @nti.org & @apln.network, the ELN is promoting the benefits of nuclear "fail-safe" reviews to reduce the chance of accidental use.

The first review was undertaken by the U.S. in 1992. In 2021, the U.S. held another review, which finished in 2024. Since, the ELN and @apln.network with support from @nti.org, have hosted fail-safe workshops in China, India, Pakistan, France & the UK. europeanleadershipnetwork.org/report/globa...