Asian Peace Programme

Our 1st APP essay for August is by Thomas Greminger, of the Geneva Centre for Security Policy, who writes on cooperation in AI: https://ari.nus.edu.sg/app-essay-thomas-greminger/

Our 2nd APP essay for August is by Peter Varghese, former Secretary of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs, who writes on heightening global cooperation on nuclear nonproliferation: https://ari.nus.edu.sg/app-essay-peter-varghese/

Happy reading!

In July, the APP published an essay by Meg Rithmire, the James E. Robison Professor at Harvard Business School. Amidst growing US-China economic rivalry, the essay argues that this is also an opportunity for Southeast Asia to set its own terms of trade.

What Can Southeast Asia Get Out of China’s— and Everyone’s—Shift to the Region? » Asia Research Institute, NUS What Can Southeast Asia Get Out of China’s- and Everyone’s-Shift to the Region? Meg Rithmire Meg Rithmire is the James E. Robison Professor at Harvard Business School. This article was first published by the Asian Peace Programme (APP), an initiative to promote peace in Asia, housed in the NUS A...

The APP's June essay, by Professor Danny Quah, outlines why small states are more incentivised to shape geopolitics positively by enhancing cooperation, at a time when economic ties alone can no longer guarantee peace in great power relations.

Small states are the best bet for keeping world at peace » Asia Research Institute, NUS Small states are the best bet for keeping world at peace Danny Quah Danny Quah is Li Ka Shing Professor in Economics, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, NUS. A version of this essay was first published on CNA: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/commentary/war-peace-power-small-states-asean-6212086 2...

The latest essay for the APP, by I Gusti Wesaka Puja, looks at how Indonesia and Timor Leste managed to reconcile after their painful history. Their reconciliation holds key lessons for the world today.

Indonesia-Timor Leste Reconciliation: ‘Through Memory Towards Hope’ » Asia Research Institute, NUS Indonesia-Timor Leste Reconciliation: 'Through Memory Towards Hope' I Gusti Agung Wesaka Puja I Gusti Agung Wesaka Puja is the executive director of the ASEAN Institute for Peace & Reconciliation (ASEAN-IPR). When the Indonesia-Timor-Leste Commission of Truth and Friendship (CTF) was established, he...

Our May essay, by Ambassador Shivshankar Menon, discusses how India can play a constructive role in an increasingly disordered and geopolitically turbulent world. Do read:
https://x.com/asian_peace/status/2058742833352528026

Our April essay is by Professor Akio Takahara, on how Japan-China ties can benefit from promoting people-to-people exchanges.

Why Japan-China ties can benefit from promoting people-to-people exchanges » Asia Research Institute, NUS Why Japan-China ties can benefit from promoting people-to-people exchanges Akio Takahara Akio Takahara is Distinguished Visiting Professor at Tokyo Woman's Christian University. 30 April, 2026 Japan and China are Asian powerhouses that should collaborate responsibly for the peace and prosperity of t...

This weekend, 88 countries signed the Delhi Declaration on equitable use of AI. However, as Alex Capri writes for APP, it is imperative for middle powers to put in guardrails on military use of AI, even as China and the US pursue a zero sum AI agenda.

Who will save the world from a US-China AI arms race? » Asia Research Institute, NUS Who will save the world from a US-China AI arms race? By Alex Capri Alex Capri is a former Senior Fellow and current Senior Lecturer in the Business School at the National University of Singapore. February 20, 2026 2026 has begun with a worsening trust deficit, as geopolitical rivalry between the Un...

The APP began the new year with a focus closer to home. Two scholars, one Thai and one Cambodian, have write two separate essays on how long-term peace and stability can be achieved in the Thailand-Cambodia relationship. They make for essential reading.

The Thailand-Cambodia conflict: A Thai and Cambodian perspective on peace » Asia Research Institute, NUS The Thailand-Cambodia conflict: A Thai and Cambodian perspective on peace The recent escalation along the Cambodia-Thailand border stands out as one of the most serious threats to peace in Southeast Asia today. While securing a ceasefire is essential, it is only a first step. Lasting stability requi...

Our latest essay, written by Dr Lili Yan Ing, Secretary General of the International Economic Association, outlines ways in which Southeast Asia can effectively pursue strong relations with both China and the United States. Her essay can be read here:

ASEAN Between China and the US: Navigating a ‘No Single Power’ Global Order » Asia Research Institute, NUS ASEAN Between China and the US: Navigating a 'No Single Power' Global Order By Lili Yan Ing Lili Yan Ing is the secretary general of the International Economic Association (IEA). Republished in The Diplomat, https://thediplomat.com/2025/12/asean-between-china-and-the-us-navigating-a-no-single-power-...

For the 12th episode of Asian Peace Talks, Kishore Mahbubani interviews Professor David Kang, on the three fraught relationships of East Asia: China-Japan, Japan-South Korea, and South Korea-China; as well as the role of the United States. Do listen: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6XAzIkksV4NEQ6nFgsaC1S

Episode 12: Can East Asia reconcile with itself? Asian Peace Talks · Episode