- APNIC gave keynotes and policy updates, promoting IPv6 and community involvement.
- APNIC met with regional partners to discuss Internet governance and security.
What happened: APNIC engages Taiwan community at ICANN forum
APNIC took part in the 6th ICANN APAC-TWNIC Engagement Forum and the 43rd TWNIC OPM, held in Taipei from 22 to 24 April 2025. The event, organised by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) and the Taiwan Network Information Center (TWNIC), focused on key topics including Internet policy, governance, cybersecurity, and the development of Internet numbers.
During the forum, APNIC’s Jia Rong Low delivered a keynote presentation discussing the latest trends in global network development. Low highlighted APNIC’s milestone achievement of 50% IPv6 capability across the Asia-Pacific region, reflecting growing progress in global adoption of the next-generation internet protocol.
Geoff Huston, Chief Scientist at APNIC, presented on “What’s going on with IPv6?” offering insights and statistics on the continued global push for IPv6 adoption. Makito Lay, a key APNIC figure, also gave an APNIC Policy Update in Mandarin during the Policy SIG Forum, encouraging Taiwan’s community to engage more actively in Internet policy discussions.
Jia Rong and Nicole Chan, APNIC’s NRO NC representative, updated the forum on the ongoing ICP-2 Review community consultation process, urging Taiwan’s Internet community to participate in shaping future policy discussions.
Also read: APNIC updates on resource audit at APRICOT 2025
Also read: APNIC faces tough questions on ICP-2 update, finances, and governance at AGM 2025
Why it’s important
This forum, which brought together stakeholders from various sectors, including the Taiwan Internet Exchange (TWIX), the Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA), and the Ministry of Digital Affairs (MODA), raised critical questions about the future of Internet governance and policy development in the Asia-Pacific region.
While milestones like the 50% IPv6 adoption in the Asia-Pacific region might seem encouraging, it is unclear whether these initiatives will truly address the growing demand for more sustainable and secure internet infrastructure in the region. Could these discussions foster real innovation, or are they more about ticking boxes? Furthermore, as APNIC encourages more community involvement, the question remains: Will the broader Taiwan community show enough interest in these high-level policy debates, or will it remain too disconnected from the concerns of regional stakeholders?
Despite the optimistic tone of the discussions, significant challenges remain for global Internet governance, cybersecurity, and the equitable distribution of network resources. More critical reflection is needed on how such forums translate into tangible changes in policy and infrastructure development.
