Asia Insight

In this episode of Asia Insight, moderator Michael Wills is joined by Christopher Hughes and Yuka Koshino for a discussion of the political legacy of former Japanese prime minister Abe Shinzo as Japan prepares for the state funeral, which is set take place on September 27.

In this episode of Asia Insight, moderator Michael Wills is joined by experts discussing the four partner countries of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue. Hayley Channer is a senior policy fellow at the Perth USAsia Centre, Sheila Smith is a senior fellow for Asia-Pacific studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, Alison Szalwinski is vice president of research at the National Bureau of Asian Research, and Akriti Vasudeva is a fellow with the South Asia Program at the Stimson Center.

In advance of the May 8, 2022, Hong Kong chief executive election, Yvonne Chiu (U.S. Naval War College) and NBR advisor William McCahill joined NBR executive vice president Michael Wills for an Asia Insight podcast to discuss Hong Kong's future under the only candidate, John Lee. As Hong Kong emerges from two years of political crackdowns and strict pandemic measures, Lee will face the task of reviving the global financial hub's faltering economy. 

In this episode of NBR's Asia Insight, NBR counselor Charles Boustany is joined by Wendy Cutler and Robert Holleyman to discuss the latest developments in Indo-Pacific trade, including the Biden administration's proposed Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, challenges around market access and digital trade, and how to overcome political obstacles in the United States to allow for more effective trade policy to be implemented.

This is the second of three episodes in the Asia Insight podcast miniseries China's Strategic Approach to the Digital Revolution examining the findings of the NBR report “China's Digital Ambitions: A Global Strategy to Supplant the Liberal Order.” NBR nonresident fellow Emily de La Bruyère, the project's principal investigator, is joined by two of the report's authors—Greg Levesque and Matt Turpin—to discuss the security implications of China's digital rise and potential policy responses for liberal democracies to more effectively mitigate the associated risks and counter China's ambitions.

This is the second of three episodes in the Asia Insight podcast miniseries China's Strategic Approach to the Digital Revolution examining the findings of the NBR report “China's Digital Ambitions: A Global Strategy to Supplant the Liberal Order.” NBR nonresident fellow Emily de La Bruyère, the project's principal investigator, is joined by three of the report's authors—Nigel Cory, Samantha Hoffman, and Karen Sutter. They discuss the implications of China's construction of digital infrastructure abroad, the expansion of Chinese digital platforms overseas, and Beijing's efforts to reshape global digital norms and regulations to better reflect its values and interests.

This is the first of three episodes in the Asia Insight podcast miniseries China's Strategic Approach to the Digital Revolution examining the findings of the NBR report “China's Digital Ambitions: A Global Strategy to Supplant the Liberal Order.” NBR's Doug Strub speaks with nonresident fellow Emily de La Bruyère, the project's principal investigator, about the nature of China's digital ambitions and what's driving China's strategy to achieve these goals.

Leading up to the 26th United Nations' Conference of the Parties (COP26), both Japan and the United States laid out ambitious goals to achieve net zero for their respective economies. Notably, Japan is taking substantial steps to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions over the next 30 years, with a plan to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. The United States has been a longtime partner of Japan and is recently recommitted to the Paris Agreement, with President Biden striving for a carbon free power sector by 2035 and a net zero emissions economy by 2050.  In this Asia Insight discussion moderated by NBR nonresident fellow Clare Richardson-Barlow, we aim to analyze these goals by rethinking policy approaches to decarbonization across political administrations in the United States and Japan. As two of the largest emitters in the world, Japan and the United States have significant challenges to address over the next three decades to achieve their respective net zero goals. However, this also presents a range of opportunities for both countries to increase collaboration through research, investment, and knowledge sharing.

In this episode of NBR's Asia Insight, NBR executive vice president Michael Wills speaks with Marcin Kaczmarski, author of the chapter “Russian Foreign Policy in a Time of Rising U.S.-China Competition” (Strategic Asia 2021–22), and Elizabeth Wishnick, author of “Russia and the Arctic in China's Quest for Great-Power Status” (Strategic Asia 2019), about Russia's invasion of Ukraine. This podcast was recorded on March 3, 2022.

In this episode of NBR's Asia Insight, NBR president Roy Kamphausen speaks with Robert Sutter, co-editor with Richard Ellings of the book Axis of Authoritarians: Implications of China-Russia Cooperation, about the dynamic between China and Russia, Russia's aggressiveness toward Ukraine, and China's provocations against Taiwan.

In this episode of NBR's Asia Insight, NBR vice president of research Alison Szalwinski discusses the new book Strategic Asia 2021–22: Navigating Tumultuous Times with co-editor Ashley J. Tellis and contributor Michael J. Green. Ashley J. Tellis is a counselor at NBR. He holds the Tata Chair for Strategic Affairs and is a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He has served as research director of the Strategic Asia Program at NBR and co-editor of the program's annual volume since 2004. Michael J. Green director of Asian studies and chair in modern and contemporary Japanese politics and foreign policy at the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University and senior vice president for Asia and Japan Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

In this episode of NBR's Asia Insight, Alison Szalwinski, NBR vice president of research, hosts a discussion with Elizabeth Economy and guest interviewer Jessica Teets. The discussion focuses on Dr. Economy's new book The World According to China. Dr. Economy is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University and was previously senior fellow for China studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. She is currently on leave from her position at the Hoover Institution and is serving as a senior adviser to the U.S. Department of Commerce. The views expressed in the podcast and her book are her personal views and do not represent the views of the U.S. government or the Commerce Department. Dr. Teets is an associate professor in the Political Science Department at Middlebury College (United States) and associate editor of the Journal of Chinese Political Science.

In this Asia Insight podcast, Tom Lutken speaks about disaster management in South Asia with Pushp Bajaj of India's National Maritime Foundation and Mohammad Hasan of the Christian Commission for Development in Bangladesh. As climate change and vulnerable populations create a perfect storm for natural disasters in South Asia, both experts highlight the challenges of today and the best path forward for the region to overcome the challenges of tomorrow.

In this Asia Insight podcast, Tom Lutken speaks with T.H. Schee of Open Knowledge Taiwan and Takako Izumi of Tohoku University about the disaster management lessons learned from the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. With changes brought about by technology and global warming, alongside the ongoing impacts of a global pandemic, both experts weigh in on how our best practices for dealing with disasters can be informed by the past to better prepare for an uncertain future.

NBR research director Alison Szalwinski interviews Admiral Jonathan Greenert, who holds the John M. Shalikashvili Chair in National Security Studies at NBR. Admiral Greenert discusses the recent report "Murky Waters in the East China Sea: Chinese Gray-Zone Operations and U.S.-Japan Alliance Cooperation," which examines key obstacles for the U.S.-Japan alliance in responding to Chinese gray-zone operations.     

In this episode of Asia Insight, Alison Szalwinski speaks with Stephanie Char about her essay in NBR's Emerging Voices on the New Normal in Asia series, “North Korea's Covid-19 Choice: Greater Diplomatic and Economic Isolation.”

In this episode of Asia Insight, Alison Szalwinski speaks with Shiming Yang about her essay in NBR’s Emerging Voices on the New Normal in Asia series, "Rising-Power Competition: The Covid-19 Vaccine Diplomacy of China and India.”

In this episode of Asia Insight, Karolos Karnikis speaks with Bhagya Senaratne about her essay in NBR’s Emerging Voices on the New Normal in Asia series, “The Covid-19 Pandemic and the Power Rivalry in South Asia.”

In this episode of Asia Insight, Karolos Karnikis speaks with Naima Green-Riley about her essay in NBR’s Emerging Voices on the New Normal in Asia series, “Pandemic Persuasions? American Public Opinion and U.S.-China Relations.” The episode examines trends in U.S. perceptions of China and discusses the implications for the U.S.-China relationship.

In this episode of Asia Insight, Congressman Charles W. Boustany Jr. leads a discussion on Indo-Pacific trade with Vice President of the Asia Society Policy Institute Wendy Cutler and former Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Robert Holleyman. They examine the Biden administration’s trade priorities, developments in digital trade agreements, and more, while seeking to answer questions about the United States’ role in the region in the wake of major multilateral trade agreements that are reshaping the rules of trade without U.S. participation.

In this episode of Asia Insight, M. Taylor Fravel, principal investigator of the Maritime Awareness Project (MAP), discusses key maritime issues in East Asia related to the South China Sea, the East China Sea, Taiwan, and the U.S. role in the region. He is joined by two other members of NBR’s MAP team, Karolos Karnikis and John S. Van Oudenaren.

In this episode of Asia Insight, Rachel Bernstein interviews NBR senior fellow Nadège Rolland and other contributors to the NBR Special Report “An Emerging China-Centric Order: China's Vision for a New World Order in Practice” about the types of mechanisms, institutions, norms, and rules China wants to see established in new international systems.

In this episode of Asia Insight, Dan Aum interviews senior advisor and research director of NBR’s Energy Security Program Mikkal Herberg. They explore various issues related to the energy relationship between the United States and Japan, including how the Covid-19 pandemic has affected global energy markets, what U.S. and Japanese policymakers have done separately and together to improve energy security, and the barriers to further developing energy infrastructure in the Indo-Pacific.

In this episode of NBR’s Asia Insight, NBR nonresident fellow Arzan Tarapore interviews Manoj Kewalramani and Suyash Desai from the Takshashila Institution to discuss their report “An Indian Approach to Navigate China’s Rise.”

In this episode of Asia Insight, NBR's senior director of public affairs Dan Aum interviews Dr. Kristi Govella to discuss the opportunities and challenges for U.S.-Japan cooperation in the global commons.

In this episode of Asia Insight, NBR's senior director of public affairs Dan Aum interviews Sheila Smith to discuss her chapter "Japan's Interests in an Era of U.S.-China Strategic Competition" from the new Strategic Asia volume. 

In this episode of Asia Insight, NBR’s senior director for public affairs Dan Aum discusses the new volume in the Strategic Asia series, Strategic Asia 2020: U.S.-China Competition for Global Influence, with editors Ashley J. Tellis and Michael Wills.

In this episode of NBR's Asia Insight, NBR and the Daniel Morgan Graduate School host a discussion accompanying the release of NBR's special report, Securing the Belt and Road Initiative: China's Evolving Military Engagement along the Silk Roads. NBR's Alison Szalwinski moderates this discussion with Mathieu Duchatel, Kristen Gunness, and Nadege Rolland. 

In this episode of NBR’s Asia Insight podcast series, Richard J. Ellings and Aaron L. Friedberg assess the state of the U.S.-China strategic rivalry and underscore the need for the United States to develop a more effective approach to China and the Indo-Pacific region. The discussion, moderated by Laura Junor, took place at the Asia Policy Assembly on June 18. Richard J. Ellings is Co-founder, President Emeritus, and Counselor at NBR. Aaron L. Friedberg is Professor of Politics and International Affairs at Princeton University and Co-director of the Woodrow Wilson School’s Center for International Security Studies. He is also a Counselor at NBR. Laura Junor is the Director of Research and Strategic Support at the National Defense University, Institute for National Strategic Studies.

In this episode of NBR’s Asia Insight podcast series, Kazutoshi Aikawa and James F. Moriarty discuss the unique relationship between Taiwan and the U.S., assess what makes alliances work best, and analyze the current U.S.-Japan alliance. The discussion, moderated by Roy Kamphausen, took place at the Asia Policy Assembly on June 19.

In this episode of NBR’s Asia Insight podcast series, Thomas X. Hammes, Claire Reade, and Michael Beckley analyze globalization trends, U.S.-China trade and investment, and the effects of economic stagnation on Chinese security policy. The discussion, moderated by Amy Celico, took place at the Asia Policy Assembly on June 19.

In this episode of NBR’s Asia Insight podcast series, Daniel Twining, Carolyn Bartholomew, and Tariq Karim examine the recent Hong Kong protests, discuss democratic trends in Asia, and analyze tensions between democratic and authoritarian forces in the region. The discussion, moderated by Michael Wills, took place at the Asia Policy Assembly on June 19.

Phillip C. Saunders and Thomas G. Mahnken examine the global ambitions of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and the strategic calculation behind PLA's disruptive activities in the region in the latest episode of NBR's Asia Insight podcast series. The discussion, moderated by Abraham M. Denmark, took place at the Asia Policy Assembly on June 19.

  Dan Aum, director of NBR’s Washington, D.C., Office, interviews NBR Senior Fellow Nadège Rolland and Brookings-Yale Postdoctoral Fellow in Foreign Policy Rush Doshi on the recent Belt and Road Forum. Topics discussed include takeaways from the forum, the strategic implications of BRI, forecasting China’s moves, and more. Bios: Rush Doshi is the Brookings-Yale Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Brookings Institution and Yale Law School’s Paul Tsai China Center. His research has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Foreign Affairs, the Washington Post, and the Washington Quarterly, among other publications. Dr. Doshi received his PhD from Harvard University, where he wrote his dissertation on Chinese grand strategy, and his BA from Princeton’s Woodrow Wilson School with a minor in East Asian Studies. He is proficient in Mandarin and Hindi. Nadège Rolland is Senior Fellow for Political and Security Affairs at NBR. Prior to joining NBR, Ms. Rolland was an analyst and senior adviser on Asian and Chinese strategic issues to the French Ministry of Defense (1994–2014) and a research analyst for the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) (2007–8). She is the author of the book China’s Eurasian Century? Political and Strategic Implications of the Belt and Road Initiative (2017). Her articles have appeared in various publications, including the Washington Quarterly, Foreign Policy, the Diplomat, the Asan Open Forum, the Lowy Institute Interpreter, and Strategic Asia, and her comments have been published by the Wall Street Journal, Libération, Les Echos, the Indian National Interest, Radio Free Asia, and BBC World Service. Ms. Rolland is a graduate of the National Institute of Oriental Languages and Civilizations (MSc Chinese Language and Contemporary Chinese Studies, 1994) and RSIS (MSc Strategic Studies, 2007). Timestamp: Q1 [1:56] What major changes took place between the first BRI Forum in 2017 and the recent forum in April 2019? Q2 [3:28] What were Xi’s key objectives for the 2019 forum? Q3 [4:49] Were the message and tone different this time around? Q4 [7:03] What are your key takeaways from the 2019 forum? Q5 [10:58] The challenges associated with being a recipient country of BRI projects are well known. Yet countries continue to sign up for BRI projects. Why? Q6 [13:48] Are BRI projects meeting universal standards of quality? Why? Q7 [18:58] How is China expanding its people, assets, and values abroad? Q8 [21:57] How is China using financial tools to support BRI, and what are the broader strategic ambitions at play? Q9 [24:33] How is China seeking to reshape the international financial architecture? Q10 [28:12] What triggered China’s desire to create a new set of international messaging and financing systems? Q11 [30:08] We’ve seen several phases of BRI. What phase are we in now? What will happen next? Q12 [34:27] As China increases its emphasis on soft power, should we expect a de-emphasis in the more tactile areas like infrastructure? Q13 [35:19] What are the vulnerabilities facing BRI? Q14 [40:20] Is China applying its soft power approach to the United States? Q15 [41:56] How should the United States respond to China on any of the key fronts we’ve discussed? Q16 [45:45] Is there anything about BRI that is obvious to you that other people still don’t appreciate? Q17 [48:53] What grade would you give Xi on the recalibration of BRI? About Asia Insight The NBR podcast series Asia Insight features interviews with top Asia experts about key issues affecting the Indo-Pacific region, with a focus on implications for U.S. policy and businesses. Subscribe to Asia Insight on Apple Podcasts and let us know what you think of the podcast on Twitter. Media Contact: Dan Aum, media@nbr.org or (202) 347-9767. Asia Insight theme music is by Laura Schwartz of Bellwether Bayou. This podcast was co-edited by Dan Lee and Matt Ropeik at NBR.

In this episode, we interview the co-editors of NBR's Strategic Asia series. This year's volume explores China's strategic ambitions and its implications for the Indo-Pacific.  In this informative and wide-ranging discussion, Dr. Ashley J. Tellis, Alison Szalwinski, and Michael Wills discuss how China seeks to reshape the international system to serve its strategic aims and present policy options for the United States and its partners to address the challenges posed by a rising China. Please join us for future discussions and let us know what you think of the podcast on Twitter (@NBRNews) or via email at media@nbr.org

We were excited to host NBR’s president Richard J. Ellings this week to discuss some of the upcoming challenges and opportunities the United States faces in the Indo-Pacific region. In addition to his role at NBR, he is an Affiliate Professor in the Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies at the University of Washington. In this wide-ranging discussion, Dr. Ellings forecasts some of the critical issues U.S. policymakers and businesses will likely have to manage in the Indo-Pacific: China’s Belt and Road Initiative, growing China-Russia cooperation, and the trigger points in the South China Sea. He also provides a number of recommendations to policymakers, including a replacement for the TPP, engagement through regional alliances and institutions, and what he considers the best option for dealing with North Korea. Please join us for future discussions and let us know what you think of the podcast on Twitter (@NBRNews) or via email at media@nbr.org

In this episode, we interview ADM Jonathan Greenert about maritime strategy in the Indo-Pacific. ADM Greenert holds the John M. Shalikashvili Chair in National Security Studies at NBR. He is a career naval officer, having served for 40 years in the U.S. Navy, culminating in his appointment as the 30th Chief of Naval Operations from 2011 to 2015. He is a recipient of various personal and campaign awards, including the Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, and the Vice Admiral Stockdale Award for inspirational leadership. His recent publication, Tenets of a Regional Defense Strategy: Considerations for the Indo-Pacific, is available for free download from the NBR website. The Indo-Pacific at present is a hotspot of political turmoil and territorial disputes. Discovering solutions for these issues requires critical strategic planning and innovation. Fresh from hosting a panel event of international Navy Chiefs, ADM Greenert provides valuable insights to address the dynamic challenges in the maritime commons. In this wide-ranging conversation, he discusses the diverse complexities of the Indo-Pacific and explores possible avenues for U.S. policy. We hope you enjoy this episode of Asia Insight!  

In this episode, we interview Jonathan Elkind (Columbia University, former Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Energy) and Clara Gillispie (NBR) about U.S. energy policy in Asia. Elkind and Gillispie discuss the role of energy in the “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” strategy, how countries in the region are responding, what U.S.-China trade tensions have to do with energy, and what they’d like to see from the Trump administration’s policies in the future.   2:30 How did your interest in energy policy begin? 4:50 What is the U.S. energy policy towards Asia? 8:49 Can you separate energy policy from broader policy toward Asia? 10:15 How do Japan and South Korea fit into our energy policy? 12:30 What are the primary concerns from other countries in the region? How have they been reacting to U.S. policy? 15:33 What is the future of U.S.-Russia relations on energy? 18:40 What are the prospects for a Russia-Japan energy pipeline? 20:12 How are U.S.-China tensions on trade affecting energy policy? References the report, “A Natural Gas Giant Awakens: China’s Quest for Blue Skies Shapes Global Markets” 27:55 How is the energy industry handling uncertainty in U.S. policy? 35:50 What have you seen in the Trump administration’s approach to investing in emerging energy technology? 40:20 What do you wish the administration would consider as it formulates energy policy? 43:58 What is the most promising energy source for the future and why? 45:00 What book on energy would you recommend to an Asia generalist? Richard Rhodes, Energy: A Human History Varun Sivaram, Taming the Sun: Innovations to Harness Solar Energy and Power the Planet Meghan O’Sullivan, Windfall: How the New Energy Abundance Upends Global Politics and Strengthens America's Power

In this episode, we interview Dr. Nicholas Eberstadt about the historic Singapore Summit on June 12 between President Donald Trump and Chairman Kim Jong-un. Dr. Eberstadt discusses his key takeaways from the summit, what the summit means for U.S. allies and other stakeholders in the region, and what he’d like to see from the Trump administration moving forward.

This episode presents a discussion of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), described by our guest as Xi Jinping’s “organizing foreign policy concept.” That guest is Nadège Rolland, Senior Fellow for Political and Security Affairs at NBR. Nadège walks us through the significance of BRI, what it means for the region, and how U.S. officials and businesses should respond to the initiative. Please join us for future discussions and let us know what you think of the podcast on Twitter (@nbrnews) or via email at media@nbr.org.

Listen as Strategic Asia editors Ashley Tellis (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace) and Michael Wills (NBR) discuss the newest volume in the series, Strategic Asia 2017–18: Power, Ideas, and Military Strategy in the Asia-Pacific.

NBR's President Richard J. Ellings sat down with William "Bill" McCahill on October 25, 2017, to discuss the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and its implications for the United States and its allies. McCahill is a Senior Resident Fellow at NBR.