Parallel Session B – Nuclear Weapons and Nonproliferation in the Asia Pacific

This session will assess the changing nuclear-security environment in the Asia-Pacific amid expanding arsenals, nuclear modernization, growing reliance on nuclear deterrence, and the weakening of global arms-control and nonproliferation mechanisms. Particular attention will be given to the substantial expansion of some nuclear weapon states’ nuclear arsenals and their limited response to calls for greater transparency, as well as the future of the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ), proliferation concerns related to the storage and transfer of weapons-grade materials, as well as the implications for strategic stability and regional arms dynamics. Panelists will examine the risks of proliferation, arms racing, and possible nuclear use, alongside the effects of extended deterrence and emerging technologies.