In the World Podcast

This is a year-end special episode. In this episode we are joined by Sascha Simon, and these are the four events shaping our world in 2020.

Japan has just got its new Prime Minister, Yoshihide Suga. This happens after the previous Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, resigned from his post due to health reasons. Suga was pretty much an insider of Abe's administration. Suga held a ministerial position from 2006 to 2007, and was appointed Chief of Cabinet Secretary in 2012. He departed his post to assume his new role in September 2020. Shortly after being sworn in, he made some diplomatic manoeuvres by meeting officials from the US, China, Vietnam, and very recently Indonesia. With this succession of power, we would like to know, what could be Japan's foreign policy under Prime Minister Suga? In this episode, we talked to Noto Suoneto from the Foreign Policy Talks Podcast and a current Master's Candidate in International Political Economy at the University of Birmingham about the outlook of Japan's foreign policy, and specifically its relations with Indonesia. Besides his interest in IPE, Noto Suoneto has an interest in the East Asian Affairs. Very recently, Noto Suoneto wrote a number of articles for The Jakarta Post and The Diplomat. The links to the publications can be found below: "After Abe, Opportunities Loom for Japan-Indonesia Relations" The Diplomat: https://thediplomat.com/2020/09/after-abe-opportunities-loom-for-japan-indonesia-relations/ "The outlook of Indonesia-Japan relations under PM Suga" The Jakarta Post: https://www.thejakartapost.com/paper/2020/09/21/the-outlook-of-indonesia-japan-relations-under-pm-suga.html "The Challenges Facing US-Indonesia Relations Post-Trump" The Diplomat: https://thediplomat.com/2020/11/the-challenges-facing-us-indonesia-relations-post-trump/

Japan, world's once second biggest economy, is among the first countries to articulate its Indo-Pacific vision. Then-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe delivered his famous "Confluence of the Two Seas" before the Indian Parliament back in 2007. In his more recent term as Japan's Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe once again reiterated Japan's interest to pursue a Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP). But what does Japan's FOIP entail? In this episode of In The World Podcast's Indo-Pacific Insider series, we will explore the vision, position, and role of Japan in the Indo-Pacific region.

India has been instrumental in the inception and the subsequent revival of the "Indo-Pacific" ideas. Its close relationship with the US gave birth to the Indo-Pacific Economic Corridor. In its relations with Japan, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe delivered his "Confluence of the Two Oceans" at the Indian Parliament. With an economy that is continuously growing, youthful population, and other political-economic potential, what does the future hold for India's position in the Indo-Pacific region? A speech by Prime Minister Modi in 2018 at the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue might help us to better understand where the country is heading.

In the second half of 2020, Germany assumes the presidency in the Council of the European Union (not to be confused with the European Council and Council of Europe). This year, Germany also published its first document that comprehensively outlines its Indo-Pacific "strategy". In this episode, we discussed Germany's foreign policy, its position in the EU, NATO, and the UN, as well as its engagement in the broader Indo-Pacific region. Sascha Simon is a Master's Candidate at the University of Konstanz, Germany and Gothenburg University, Sweden. He earned his Bachelor's degree from Malmö University, Sweden and spent a semester each at Ritsumeikan University, Japan, and Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia. He is cross-registered at post-graduate level at University of Zürich, Switzerland.

Germany launched its Indo-Pacific strategy on September 2020. The country released the document in the middle of its European Union presidency which runs from July to December 2020. What does this mean to Germany’s engagement in the Indo-Pacific region and the wider world? How does Germany see China? How does Germany see ASEAN in an Indo-Pacific context? In this episode, we are trying to take a look on Germany’s Indo-Pacific strategy.

ASEAN was established 53 years ago. The organization was established against the backdrop of the Cold War. Is ASEAN still relevant today? In this episode, we talked about ASEAN's challenges in political-security (South China Sea dispute), economic (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership), and socio-cultural (ASEAN Identity) spheres.

The United Nations (UN) turns 75 this year. Despite some successes it has achieved in the past 75 years, challenges remain. These challenges include the increasing tension between the world's two biggest economies, the US and China, the failure of multilateral cooperation of UN members, as well as the ageing mechanism of UN cooperation. Seventy-five years on, what is the outlook for the UN?

A little over half a year into COVID-19 global outbreak, the pandemic has brought unthinkable changes to the ways we conduct our politics. In recent article published by Tempo, Noto Suoneto shares his perspective on the matter. In this episode of In the World Podcast, we converse with him to explore his perspective on this issue.

This year, ASEAN is expected to adopt the narrative of ASEAN Identity. This episode reflects on ASEAN's effort to push for an ASEAN Identity and the process of identity building in ASEAN.

In this episode, we talk about the postponed G7 Summit and US President Donald Trump's proposal to expand the G7 to become G11. We also talk about its implication to the broader geopolitical configuration in the Asia Pacific region -- and how it relates to the Indo-Pacific Strategy and the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue.

ASEAN is in the heart of China's Belt and Road Initiative and America's Indo-Pacific Strategy. But, what is ASEAN's position on BRI and Indo-Pacific, really? In this episode, we are trying to shed a light the overlapping schemes that exist between ASEAN, BRI, and Indo-Pacific.

The European Union (EU) seems to be caught up in the US-China rivalry. In this episode we explore the question as to how EU responds to China’s Belt and Road Initiative and United States’ Indo-Pacific strategy. Our discussion touches upon EU’s move to establish an EU army and EU’s exploration on a form of military cooperation, a bit on EU-ASEAN relations, and most interestingly the G11 proposal by US President Donald Trump.

In this episode, our discussion covers ASEAN’s sectoral cooperation in the context of COVID-19. We also talk about ASEAN’s partners - the differences between ASEAN partners and what they have done in the context of COVID-19. We also discussed about ASEAN’s relations with its two most important partners the United States and China. One compulsory question is asked: can ASEAN navigate through US-China rivalry during this COVID crisis?

European Union has a long history of cooperation with ASEAN. But, what is EU’s interest in ASEAN, actually? What is EU’s interest in the South China Sea? This episode discusses the possible answers to the above questions while also exploring the concepts and strategies in today’s International Relations and security issues such as Indo-Pacific, Belt and Road, TAC, ARF, EAS, ADMM+, 16+1 or CEEC, Quad, FPDA, G7, and even NATO.

As the United States under the leadership of President Donald Trump is becoming more inward-looking by pulling out of international agreements and organizations, the move leaves a number of vacant spots where China can come in and try to "lend their hand" to the international community. In this episode, we are discussing China's increasing power and influence on the international stage, by examining China's leadership and role in the United Nations.

COVID-19 presents challenges to Indonesia domestically and internationally. The pandemic will undoubtedly affect the country’s foreign policy. This episode explores the disaster dimension of COVID-19, how the COVID-19 pandemic affects Indonesia’s relations with China, China’s Health Silk Road, and Indonesia’s position amidst China-US tension in terms of pandemic response. In the World Podcast is joined by M. Habib Abiyan D., a researcher at CSIS Jakarta in exploring some of the most burning questions surrounding the issue.

The diplomatic relations between Indonesia and China have come a long way back since 1950. The cooperation between the two evolved throughout the years, mostly dominated by cooperation, but have also been vulnerable to skirmishes. What does the relationship hold 70 years after it was first established?

After months of hiatus, In The World Podcast is back with more interesting topics to uncover. In the first episode of its comeback, we will discuss China's Belt and Road Initiative, its fate after COVID-19, and the Health Silk Road -- as dubbed by the Chinese Government; a Chinese response to the pandemic by capitalizing on its Belt and Road foundations.

Foreign flags are waving in recent Hong Kong protests. How do they explain the International Relations side of the Hong Kong protests? More on the United States - Hong Kong Policy Act 1992 https://tinyurl.com/hkbillus

Boris Johnson called for a suspension in the British Parliament for 5 weeks. The opposition is trying so hard to table a no-confidence vote. What can we expect now?

This episode reflects on the lecture by H.E. Rizal Sukma, the Ambassador of Indonesia to the United Kingdom, Ireland, and the International Maritime Organization at the Jakarta-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies.

Indonesia has just finished its chairmanship in the UNSC for a one month period in May 2019. What has Indonesia achieved so far? Can we declare that Indonesia has been successful in its tenure this time? This episode talks about Indonesian non-permanent membership in the UNSC, tailored just for you.

Just like in any other elections in other parts of the world lately, China and foreign relations with China were part of the discussion in Indonesia's latest presidential election. Some argue that Indonesian government has been too soft to China in recent years. However, just how much does Indonesia actually become too soft to China? Does Indonesia actually have a strategy as to how the country should deal with China? Join the discussion in this episode to find out more.

China and the United States have been caught up in serious trade row lately. What does each side want from each other? Today's episode will bring you closer to what's on the table.

British Prime Minister Theresa May resigned yesterday, May 24, 2019 after almost three years in office. Her resignation will undeniably affect Brexit's negotiation process, and even the settlement of Brexit as a whole. How will Theresa May's resignation affect Brexit, what will the future look like for Britain, and what choices are left on the table? This very first episode of In the World Podcast will engage you in a discussion that is made simple, just for you.