2025 Pacific Rim Life Security Index Released in Australia

The 2025 Pacific Rim Life Security Index (PRLSI) was unveiled at the "World TCM Night—Essence, Qi, and Spirit: The Dance of Life in TCM" gala held at the Australian National Museum on Sunday.

Now in its third year, the PRLSI provides a comprehensive assessment of life security across Pacific Rim countries through four key dimensions: health, nature, society, and psychology.

The index combines scientific data and multidimensional analysis to reflect regional conditions, identify risks, and inform policymaking and governance.

According to the 2025 report, the overall average score across the Pacific Rim is 58.58, down from 59.1 in 2024 and 61.0 in 2023. The decline reflects the compounding effects of geopolitical tensions, climate extremes, lingering public health challenges, and rising social and psychological pressures.

The 2025 results show Singapore leading the overall rankings with a score of 86.07, followed by China (79.19), Brunei (74.91), Australia (74.50), and New Zealand (74.07). The top ten also include South Korea, Canada, Chile, Japan, and Malaysia.

Among the four dimensions, health scores improved slightly, highlighting better access to medical resources and stronger disease control, though regional disparities remain wide.

Natural environment scores dropped notably, signaling increased exposure to extreme climate events and ecological stress.

Social indicators rose modestly, with China maintaining the top position for the second year, showing relative stability in governance and public security.

Psychological well-being continued to decline overall, underscoring the growing importance of mental health and social support systems.

Rooted in the Traditional Chinese Medicine philosophy of “harmony”, the PRLSI emphasizes balance—between humans and nature, body and mind, and among nations—as the foundation for sustainable life security.

The report calls for collective efforts to enhance regional resilience and promote cooperation under the principle of harmony, contributing to a safer and healthier Pacific Rim and a community with a shared future for humanity.

This year's report was released by the Russian Studies Center of China Foreign Affairs University and the Research Center for the Internationalization of TCM of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine.