Shows
State of AsiaSoutheast Asia's Potential: A Reality CheckIn this episode, we’re gonna take a sweeping look at Southeast Asia's political, economic, and security landscape. The region sits at a geopolitical crossroads, a position that has created huge potential and a delicate balancing act between China and the U.S.As an intrinsically diverse region, different countries pursue different levels of ambition. The difficulties the region has in finding a unified voice are clearly visible daily, whether it is in the ongoing crisis in Myanmar, the environmental challenges facing the Mekong region, or the protest-inducing corruption scandals in countries like the Philippines and Indonesia....
2025-12-1636 minState of AsiaIndia's Tightrope: Domestic Strains, Regional Volatility, and Global AmbitionsThis episode unpacks a pivotal year for India. Suhasini Haidar, diplomatic editor at The Hindu, explains how Delhi has adapted to unexpected tensions with the U.S., renewed pragmatism toward China, and its enduring reliance on Russia, while preparing for major trade negotiations with Washington and Brussels.Milan Vaishnav, Senior Fellow and Director, South Asia Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, explores India’s internal politics: Modi’s continued dominance, the realities of coalition governance, and growing federal pushback from southern states. He shows how foreign policy has become central to Modi’s domest...
2025-12-0931 minState of AsiaChina's Next ChapterAt the 2025 STATE OF ASIA conference, we hosted two conversations focused on China.First, hear from Desmond Shum, entrepreneur, investor, philanthropist, and author of the internationally acclaimed memoir Red Roulette, presenting a rare and authoritative perspective on the intersection of global business and Chinese elite politics.Then, Abigaël Vasselier of the EU's External Action Service, shares her perspectives on China's next chapter and the country's relationship with Europe, in conversation with sinologist Simona Grano of the University of Zurich.The conversations were recorded live, on stage, a...
2025-12-0240 minState of AsiaTough Choices: Europe and its Middle Power PartnersHow is Europe's role evolving amidst a retreating U.S. and a more fragmented global order?With middle powers repositioning themselves for greater agency and partnership, particularly in Asia, is Europe making enough of the new dynamic for cooperation with countries like Japan, South Korea, and Australia on fundamental issues like security, defense, trade, and technological governance?Listen to an engaging conversation, led by the FT's Mercedes Ruehl, with Huong Le Thu of the International Crisis Group, Henrietta Levin of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and ...
2025-11-2535 minState of AsiaThe State of the World, with Pita Limjaroenrat and Suhasini HaidarHow do you summarize the state of the world in 20 minutes and still have it make sense? By inviting two excellent speakers to take on that challenge, is what we found out at our annual STATE OF ASIA conference, held November 6 in Zurich.Listen to Pita Limjaroenrat, former Prime Minister-designate of Thailand, in conversation with Suhasini Haidar, diplomatic editor of The Hindu, who kicked off the day-long event with an engaging overview of sobering reflections and possible hopeful signs.Find more information on STATE OF ASIA 2025, including videos, on the Asia So...
2025-11-1821 minState of Asia2025 State of Asia Address with Pita LimjaroenratPita Limjaroenrat, former Prime-Minister Designate of Thailand and current Visiting Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, delivers the fourth annual State of Asia Address, hosted by Asia Society Switzerland and the University of Zurich.In a packed Aula, he spoke about the period of transition the world finds itself in, with the post-post Cold War era having ended, but a new chapter yet to be written. He laid out what this means for power, progress, and peace in Asia.The full Address, including a conversation between Pita and University of Zurich...
2025-11-1015 min
The Monocle DailyTrump’s UN tirade raises questions over trade, climate and alliancesLive from Zürich: Trump’s combative UN speech sparks debate on trade and multilateralism. Rajesh Mirchandani weighs in, while Aleksandra Tirziu and Remko Tanis discuss India-Europe relations, China in Africa and Trump-Xi prospects.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2025-09-2335 minState of AsiaA Closer Look: Vietnam2025 marks 50 years since Vietnam's reunification. A great moment to reflect on the country's remarkable transformation. Since launching major economic reforms four decades ago, Vietnam has achieved one of the world’s fastest growth rates, attracting global investment as companies shift production from China.Today, it's a lower middle-income nation with bold ambitions to become a developed, high-income country by 2045. But, as Vietnam looks ahead, it faces significant challenges, from how to unleash more human creativity and reforming institutions to getting badly needed investments in infrastructure off the ground.And like every other country, Vietnam cannot es...
2025-07-0838 minState of AsiaSouth Korea's Watershed Moment, with Eunwoo LeeSouth Korea is heading to the polls to elect a successor to impeached President Yoon, whose failed attempt to put the country under martial law back in December laid bare the deep divisions and gloom that plague Korean society.We talk about all this with Eunwoo Lee in Seoul, from where he writes for The Diplomat.Want more Korea? Join us in Zurich on June 25 for an evening with stellar Korean author Bora Chung. More info and tickets on our website.A solid analysis of the challenges South Korea faces as...
2025-05-2735 minState of AsiaLike Swimming with Piranhas – Entrepreneurial China, with Zak DychtwaldThe defining characteristic of the environment in China has been its pace of change. And that has its impact on the latest generation of Chinese entrepreneurs who need to innovate to meet the tough demands of Chinese consumers.The message is: adapt or get washed away. It's like constantly swimming with piranhas, says Zak Dychtwald, our guest on this episode. The skill to adapt to people's always evolving demands, is increasingly making Chinese companies globally competitive.Zak is the founder and CEO of Young China Group, a consultancy decoding China's market, workforce, and...
2025-05-1330 minState of AsiaVietnam at 50, with Bich TranBich Tran, a senior fellow at Verve Research, an adjunct fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and a nonresident fellow at We Protect our Seas, discusses Vietnam's strategies at navigating geopolitical turmoil, while the country celebrates fifty years since its 1975 reunification. Why is the country rapidly increasing and intensifying its diplomatic ties around the world? Can it overcome the challenges and cement its place as Asia's next economic powerhouse, as the government is hoping for?Stay up-to-date on all events and activities at Asia Society Switzerland: subscribe to the newsletter...
2025-04-2928 minState of AsiaEverything, Everywhere, All at OnceAsia Society Switzerland's Manuela Coldesina (live from Tokyo), Serena Jung, Nico Luchsinger, and Remko Tanis try to discuss everything that happened thus far in 2025 and the insights many experts shared with us over these months in events and podcasts.Impossible? Let's find out.Full recaps and recordings of all our events are available on our website, and on the Asia Society YouTube channel.Stay up-to-date on all future events and activities at Asia Society Switzerland: subscribe to the newsletter and support our work by becoming...
2025-04-2225 minState of AsiaChina's Assertive Insecurity in a Chaotic World, with Selina HoSelina Ho, Associate Professor in International Affairs and Co-Director of the Centre on Asia and Globalisation at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore, discusses the Southeast Asia trip of Chinese leader Xi Jinping, why she labels China's foreign policy as both assertive and insecure, and why China is using the Korean War of the 1950s to rally its population behind the country's leaders in the current trade war with the United States.Stay up-to-date on all events and activities at Asia Society Switzerland: subscribe to the newsletter and support...
2025-04-1534 minState of AsiaInnovation Made in China Will Change the World – Or, Will It?China's patent applications have surpassed every other country for over a decade and the speed with which technology out of China impresses the world has picked up in the last few years. Its factories churn out cutting-edge electric vehicles packed with futuristic features – so advanced that European carmakers are now partnering with Chinese firms to gain access to their technology. A complete reversal of the old playbook. In renewable energy and green tech, China has leapfrogged to become the world leader in both production and innovation.Then came the DeepSeek moment: an AI breakthrough from a little-known Ch...
2025-04-0830 minState of AsiaWhat's Bonding Beijing and Bern, with Ariane KnüselSwitzerland was one of the first western nations to recognize the People's Republic of China, in 1950, and one of the first to reach a free trade agreement with Beijing as well, in 2013. Historian Ariane Knüsel explores the special bond between China and Switzerland in Die Schweiz und China, a book she co-authored with Ralph Weber.Ariane spoke at an event in our Talk at the Library series. More info, and her bio, is available here.More on the book Die Schweiz und China is available from the publisher.Join us a...
2025-03-1822 minState of AsiaTech and global power, with John LeeSemiconductors, EVs, AI, TSMC, BYD, DeepSeek...In a time when trade, technology, and global power dynamics are more interconnected and in flux than ever before, we turn to an expert on all those things on this episode: John Lee, a leading voice on high-tech industries in China and the region, and on how they impact foreign relations.John is the 2025 TOY Senior Fellow at Asia Society Switzerland, which means he'll be around frequently this year to explore key global challenges, geopolitics, and the impact of technological advances on it all.He...
2025-03-0437 minState of AsiaA Closer Look: TradeFor years, for most of us, news on global trade mostly hid out in the pages of The Wall Street Journal or the Financial Times. Not anymore. as the U.S. is threatening and hitting friend and foe with punitive tariffs. The rules-based system that has been governing global trade seems to be evaporating in front of our eyes.What does that mean for consumers, companies, and governments in Europe and Asia? Hear insights from both continents. Renowned trade policy experts Deborah Elms, Head of Trade Policy at the Hinrich Foundation in Singapore, and ...
2025-02-1843 minState of AsiaEconomy Watch: Japan, China, and IndiaLate last year, at our annual STATE OF ASIA conference, we hosted a conversation on the economic developments in Japan, China, and India.After decades of stagnation, Japan’s economy is showing optimism from structural shifts like labor market reforms and wage increases that are finally starting to pay off. In China, growth has peaked and the government is yet to succeed in convincing its population it’s okay to spend money.All the while, India is now the fastest-growing developing economy and scrambling to shed its protectionist past in order to create a lot...
2025-02-1140 minState of AsiaHow We Talk About China, with Kaiser KuoKaiser Kuo, host of the long-running Sinica podcast, joins us in Zurich to discuss the evolving narrative on China, and why the West is so often 'stunned' by Chinese breakthroughs in electric vehicles, green technology, or, most recently: AI, with DeepSeek.We explore the reasons behind the challenges of reporting on China, the importance of strategic empathy, and the shifting dynamics of global influence, particularly in relation to American exceptionalism.Recommendations mentioned at the end of the episode:Chartbook, by Adam ToozePekingnology and The East is Read, by Zichen WangInterconnected, by K...
2025-02-0442 minState of AsiaIndia and Indonesia: Can They Pull It Off?India and Indonesia, the juggernaut democracies of South and Southeast Asia, both ended 2024 with new governments that hold new ambitions. How will this pan out in the year to come?We talked about this with Dewi Fortuna Anwar, one of Indonesia’s foremost foreign policy experts; and Garima Mohan, Senior Fellow in the Indo-Pacific Program at the German Marshall Fund. The conversation is moderated by James Crabtree, 2024 TOY Senior Fellow at Asia Society Switzerland, and was recorded at the third edition of our STATE OF ASIA conference, held last November in Zu...
2025-01-2832 minState of AsiaAn Unprecedented Presidential Arrest in South KoreaWe check in with Schoni Song in Seoul, to discuss this morning's unprecedented arrest of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who is accused of leading an insurrection. How have people in South Korea responded to the news, and what could come next?Schoni is a former colleague at Asia Society and was a speaker in our 2023 webcast A Closer Look at South Korea.-STATE OF ASIA is a podcast from Asia Society Switzerland. Season 8, episode 3 - Published: January 15, 2025Host/Editor: Remko Tanis, Programs and Editorial Manager, A...
2025-01-1511 minState of AsiaThe State of China, with Qing Wang, Zichen Wang, and Adam ToozeChina is undergoing unprecedented changes domestically, while also dealing with the challenges of a volatile world.Listen to Qing Wang, host of the popular Chinese-language podcast The Weirdo; Zichen Wang, Research Fellow at the Center for China and Globalization; and Adam Tooze, economic historian and professor at Columbia University discuss the state of China.The discussion is moderated by Finbarr Birmingham, Europe correspondent for the South China Morning Post, and was recorded at STATE OF ASIA, the flagship conference hosted by Asia Society Switzerland last November, in Zurich.
2025-01-1446 minState of AsiaThe State of the World, with Kyung-wha Kang and Adam ToozeWe're kicking off the year with two great minds discussing the State of the World as Asia's global importance continues to grow, Europe seems somewhat lost, and the U.S. is preparing for the return of Donald Trump to the White House.Listen to Asia Society President & CEO Kyung-wha Kang and economic historian Adam Tooze, professor at Columbia University in New York. Their conversation was recorded at STATE OF ASIA, the flagship conference hosted by Asia Society Switzerland last November, in Zurich.More information on the conference, the speakers, plus videos...
2025-01-0724 minState of AsiaCrucial Skills for a Changing World, with Adecco's Bettina SchallerThe Gen A Young Leadership Program is a key initiative of Asia Society Switzerland. It brings together a group of around 25 vetted young professionals and advance students to participate in a year of deepening their Asia knowledge and to provide them with the tools to interpret developments in Asia and identify opportunities for successful collaboration. Gen A enables the next generation of leaders to engage with Asia at eye level and builds a community of young Asia-curious people in Switzerland.Recently, our 2024 cohort graduated from the Gen A program, joining a community that has now grown to...
2024-12-1631 minState of AsiaAge of Vice with Deepti KapoorDeepti Kapoor's Age of Vice, published in 2023, is a story of power, corruption, and complicity, set in modern India. In the early 2000s, the lives of Ajay, Neda, and Sunny – the novel's three main characters – cross in New Delhi. There is idealism, optimism even; but also crime, drugs, and violence, as Sunny Wadia follows in the footsteps of his powerful father. Age of Vice, which became a New York Times bestseller and will be adapted into a tv series, is not a didactic novel, but a deeply researched portrait of a changing country, with a fast-growing econ...
2024-12-0956 minState of AsiaThe 2024 State of Asia Address, with Adam ToozeOn November 6, 2024, leading global thinker Adam Tooze delivered Asia Society Switzerland's third annual State of Asia Address in front of a full house in the prestigious aula of the University of Zurich, our partner for this event.Adam holds the Shelby Cullom Davis chair of History at Columbia University in New York City. In 2019, Foreign Policy Magazine named him one of the top Global Thinkers of the decade.Chartbook, his newsletter on economics, geopolitics and history, has over 120,000 subscribers. He is a columnist for Foreign Policy, where he also hosts a...
2024-11-1249 minState of AsiaEverybody's Looking at India, with Garima MohanChina and India seem to be en route to a better, or less bad, relationship for the first time in years. Germany published its first 'Focus on India' policy paper, immediately followed by a visit of Chancellor Scholz to New Delhi.The new EU Commission has specifically named India as an important part of its strategies.Russia, just like India a founding member of BRICS and host of that forum's 2024 summit, has its own pressing reasons to maintain the historical ties with India.And then there's the Quad, in which India cooperates ever closer with fellow...
2024-10-2930 minState of AsiaWhere Global Chinese Come To Talk: The Weirdo, with Qing Wang’The Weirdo’ is a podcast for people who live up to its name. It’s a very popular weekly Chinese-language show, where younger generation Chinese living both inside China and elsewhere come together to talk about topics ranging from international relations to personal relationships, from current events to the big issues of our time.It’s, as the hosts say it, about ‘human survival in a complex and ever-changing world’.On this episode, we speak with Qing Wang, one of the hosts of ’The Weirdo’, about not fitting in, the courage to say no, how Europe’s ima...
2024-10-1533 minState of AsiaIndonesia’s New President, with Dewi Fortuna AnwarOn October 20, 2024, Indonesia will inaugurate Prabowo Subianto as its new President. Ever since his election win back in February, world leaders have been courting Prabowo, meeting with him even before he has taken office. Prabowo seems to love presidenting around the world much more than current President Joko Widodo did during his ten years in office.If all goes well, says Dewi Fortuna Anwar, our guest on this episode, Indonesia under Prabowo could claim a much more active role on the world stage to deal with global issues like climate change and energy security. But...
2024-10-0132 minState of AsiaShould The Next U.S. President Prioritize Deterrence or Reassurance of China?Over the past year, U.S.-China relations have seen slight improvement, in part driven by the U.S. desire for stability leading up to the Presidential election. Regardless of whether Kamala Harris or Donald Trump wins the election, the new President will have to make a crucial decision: maintain this fragile period of stability, or press forward with more competitive measures to push back against China's rise. The decision will hinge on a policy debate that balances the need to deter Chinese aggression with the importance of reassuring China about U.S. long-term intentions, particularly regarding sensitive issues...
2024-09-1829 minState of AsiaAsian Perspectives on the U.S. ElectionWith the U.S. heading to the polls in November, Asia, like the rest of the world, will be following the election outcome closely. While all U.S. elections are consequential for the world, this one seems especially so, with the two candidates charting divergent paths for U..S policy on issues such as global security, trade and climate change.Hear from Asia Society’s global network of experts from Melbourne, Delhi, Hong Kong and Tokyo to explore how Asian countries perceive the U.S. role in Asia and what bearing the election will have on the re...
2024-09-1742 minState of AsiaThe Impact of Leadership Changes in Asia, Europe, and the U.S., with James CrabtreeIn 2024, over half the world’s population has been voting for new leaders – or will do so very soon.In Asia, countries from Bangladesh to Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Japan, and Indonesia, end this year with other leaders than the one they started it with (though not all through general elections). So do the EU, the UK and, in January 2025, the U.S.James Crabtree, TOY Senior Fellow at Asia Society Policy Institute and Asia Society Switzerland, joins us to dissect the impacts these leadership changes have on the geopolitical landscape.James Crabtree is on...
2024-09-0334 minState of AsiaNEW SEASON - Coming Sep 3STATE OF ASIA, the podcast from Asia Society Switzerland, is back with engaging conversations with leading minds on the issues that shape Asia and affect us all.The new season premieres Tuesday, September 3. New episodes follow every other Tuesday.Plus: look out for bonus episodes bringing you insights from some of the many events organized by Asia Society Switzerland.Stay up-to-date on all our activities: subscribe to the newsletter and support our work by becoming a member.-----STATE OF ASIA is a podcast series from Asia Society Switzerland. Season 7 t...
2024-08-2702 minState of AsiaA Closer Look at BatteriesBatteries increasingly power everything around us, all thanks to major innovations and a supply chain that spans the world. And that’s where things get complicated.As battery costs sink and technology advances, nations increasingly view batteries as vital for national security, economic competitiveness, and to reach their climate goals.We spoke with two experts on all things batteries and geopolitics: Marina Yue Zhang, Associate Professor at the Australia-China Relations Institute of the University of Technology Sydney; and Duo Fu, Vice President of the Clean Tech Division at Rystad Energy, a No...
2024-07-1140 minState of AsiaWhy India is not the next China, with Alicia García HerreroAs India’s economy continues to grow, can the world’s most populous country truly replicate China's success of the past decades? Should India even imitate China? Maybe not, says our guest on this episode, Alicia García Herrero, Hong Kong-based Chief Economist for Asia-Pacific at French investment bank Natixis, and Senior Fellow at European think tank Breugel. Alicia discusses the key differences between the two countries, talks about if the world is even looking for a new China, and provides insights on what economic policies could drive India’s continued growth, especially as the country...
2024-06-1125 minState of AsiaJapan’s Delicate Balancing Act, with Yuki TatsumiAs tensions simmer in its immediate environment, Japan is on high alert. In the midst of China's "sustained aggressiveness," Japan is revising its defense and security policies.But how does this align with its pacifist constitution, and is there still room for engagement with China? Hear from Yuki Tatsumi, Senior Fellow, Co-Director of the East Asia Program, and Director of the Japan Program at the Stimson Center in Washington, DC.Yuki sheds light on Japan's historical approach to China, the current state of their bilateral relations, and the delicate balance between deterrence and engagement....
2024-05-2835 minState of AsiaChina and Eastern Europe, with Alicja BachulskaChina’s leader Xi Jinping raised his country’s relationship with EU and NATO member Hungary to a level that puts Hungary almost as close to Beijing’s chest as Russia and North Korea are.Western Europe long regarded the ’new’ EU member states in the East as Trojan horses. But views on, and relations with, China have grown very diverse in Central and Eastern Europe. Especially in the Baltics, the Czech Republic and, increasingly, Poland, China is looked at with suspicion, given its support of Russia’s war in Ukraine and Beijing's failed attempt over the past decade t...
2024-05-1438 minState of AsiaNepal’s Challenges, with Deputy Speaker Indira RanamagarIndira Ranamagar is Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of Nepal since January 2023. She started her career as a primary science and maths teacher in village schools in the southeast of Nepal, and became a social worker in prisons in 1990. For well over 30 years now, she has been a prolific human rights and social worker. In 2000, she founded the NGO Prisoner’s Assistance Nepal, which looks after prisoners' welfare and works to give children whose parents are imprisoned an education and a roof over their heads.In 2022, she was elected to Nepal’s House of R...
2024-04-2930 minState of AsiaThe Broad Appeal of Modi's BJP with Nalin MehtaNalin Mehta is a political scientist and journalist in Delhi, India, and author of The New BJP, a work you can only call THE book on the BJP, the largest political party in the world.Under the leadership of India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP has solidified its position as the uncontested center of power in the world's most populous country.As India heads to the polls over a 6-week period beginning April 19, we talk with Nalin about how the BJP built and expanded its power base, and what Modi, who is all b...
2024-04-1634 minState of AsiaWill Asia's Rise Lead to a New World Order?There is little to dispute about Asia's rise as a key feature of our time. Already the world's most populous region, Asian countries have steadily gained in economic and political influence on the world stage in recent decades. While in the past this development has been driven heavily by China, the next few years will see countries like India, Indonesia, and Vietnam expand their international clout.As the balance of power shifts east, will the world order inevitably change? Asia is far from a monolithic actor, and for all the talk about an "Asian Century", there is...
2024-04-0931 minState of AsiaAsia's Next Economic Miracle with Johan NylanderJohan Nylander is an award-winning author and freelance China and Asia correspondent. His work is published by CNN, Forbes, Sweden’s leading business daily Dagens Industri, and many other international media outlets.His most recent book is The Wolf Economy Awakens – Mongolia’s Fight for Democracy, and a Green and Digital Future (Hong Kong University Press, 2023). It's full of original reporting and great conversations with Mongolians, from angry elderly people in the street and the lead singer of internationally successful Mongolian band The HU to the country's Prime Minister.In this episode, we talk a...
2024-03-2633 minState of AsiaNEW SEASON – Coming March 26STATE OF ASIA, the podcast from Asia Society Switzerland, is back with engaging conversations with leading minds on the issues that shape Asia and affect us all.The new season premieres Tuesday, March 26, with a conversation with Hong Kong-based journalist and author Johan Nylander, whose latest book is a deep dive on one of Asia's largest but, for now, most unknown nations: Mongolia. New episodes follow every other Tuesday.Plus: look out for special episodes bringing you insights from some of the many events organized by Asia Society Switzerland.Stay up-to-date on...
2024-03-1901 minState of AsiaA Closer Look: Indonesia After JokowiA Closer Look is our popular series taking quick but deep dives into countries and issues that matter, with webcasts, podcasts, and in-person events.This episode is part of A Closer Look: Indonesia After Jokowi, looking at what's next for the Southeast Asian giant now that the hugely popular President Joko Widodo is preparing to hand over to former general Prabowo Subianto, the winner of the February 14 elections.Talking about Jokowi's legacy from a ground-level perspective are Nimas Mega Purnamasari, who runs the Bali campus of the national United in Diversity organization; and
2024-02-2029 minState of AsiaChina and Taiwan: Engage or Deter?For decades, Taiwan has existed in a fragile balance, neither truly independent nor unified with mainland China. While this status quo has proven surprisingly enduring, China's continued economic and military rise and its government’s increasing nationalistic rhetoric have raised fears of a conflict around the island – accidental or intentional.What's the best approach to prevent further or more intense aggressive actions from China against Taiwan? Build up strong military deterrence, or go the way of diplomatic engagement?In this bonus episode of STATE OF ASIA, listen to four experts debate this complicated issue....
2024-01-2525 minState of AsiaPeak China or New China with Keyu Jin and Jörg WuttkeTwo terrific knowers of China talk about the prospects for the struggling Chinese economy and the question that's on the mind of foreign companies in the country: stay, or go? Listen to Keyu Jin, well-connected professor at the London School of Economics and author of 2023's The New China Playbook; and Jörg Wuttke, President Emeritus of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China. They spoke on stage at the STATE OF ASIA conference, Asia Society Switzerland's flagship event, held on November 23, 2023, in Zurich.The conversation was moderated by M...
2024-01-0439 minState of AsiaThe 2023 State of Asia AddressOn November 21, 2023, Singaporean diplomatic legend Bilahari Kausikan delivered Asia Society Switzerland's second annual State of Asia Address in front of a full house in the prestigious Aula of the University of Zurich.He set himself up to answer the question: Will this – can this – be the ‘Asian century’, in a highly original speech filled with fundamental insights in the big issues facing Asia and the world.Bilahari is former Ambassador and Permanent Secretary of Singapore. He has spent his entire career in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.During his 37 years in the Ministry...
2023-11-2348 minState of AsiaInvitation to a Banquet with Fuchsia DunlopFuchsia Dunlop is a master cook, celebrated food writer, and accredited chef of Chinese cuisines. She was the first Westerner to train as a chef at the Sichuan Institute of Higher Cuisine and has spent much of the last two decades exploring China and its food. She is the author of several award-winning books, and a contributor to the Financial Times, the New Yorker, and other publications Her latest book is Invitation to a Banquet – The Story of Chinese Food, a fascinating 400-page read on the history and culture of Chinese cuisie, of which The Ne...
2023-11-1437 minState of AsiaIs India Becoming A Superpower?India is having an eventful year. It led the G20, worked to welcome more members into the BRICS, and it landed on the moon. Despite persisting domestic issues, from economic inequality to shrinking civil liberties, India is thriving in its foreign relations – which may help Prime Minister Modi, as he gears up for elections due next spring. India has an ambitious goal: to become the world's third largest economy and to emerge as a geopolitical superpower. Will it be able to deliver on that growth and ambition?In this bonus episode of STATE OF ASIA, lis...
2023-11-0728 minState of AsiaThe State of Europe, As Seen From AsiaC. Raja Mohan is a Senior Fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute in Delhi, India who has published widely on India’s foreign and security policies, Asian geopolitics, and the global governance of advanced technologies.Last November, he delivered our annual State of Asia Address, which he kicked off by saying he wouldn't have minded talking about Europe, as he was 'deeply fascinated and troubled' by what he saw happening there. So, for this episode, we dialed up Raja in Delhi to ask him about his views on the State of Europe. He...
2023-10-3130 minState of AsiaUntangling Taiwan with Simona GranoSimona Grano is an associate professor at the University of Zurich and a Senior Fellow at Asia Society's Center for China Analysis, where she focuses on Taiwan and its upcoming presidential election.In this episode she gives us a lay of the land ahead of Taiwan's January 2024 presidential election. Instead of the usual 2, this time 4 candidates are on the ballot. How will this split the vote? And how will China react if, for the first time ever, the pro-independence DPP manages to win the presidency for a third time in a row?Simona wi...
2023-10-1733 minState of AsiaThe Greatest Show Ever on the Solomon IslandsThings are heating up in Solomon Islands. The South Pacific island nation of 700,000 people is gearing up to host its greatest event ever: the 2023 Pacific Games. China has built and financed most of the venues for the games, while Australia paid for dormitories for the 5,000 athletes from 24 countries, and Japan is improving the roads. All this, as the U.S. reopened its embassy after 30 years, to counter growing Chinese influence in the region.In this bonus episode, hear from two Solomon Islanders on what it's like to be wooed by multiple powers. Dorothy Wickham is a...
2023-10-1024 minState of AsiaAsymmetry on Steroids with Alexander GabuevAlexander Gabuev is the Director of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, based in Berlin.In this episode, he talks about having to leave Moscow and how he now gauges what's happening in Russia from abroad. He explains how Russia is out of options and increasingly seems to become a vassal state of China, and he talks about how alienation between China and Russia on one side, and the West on the other, is here to stay – and what that means.Alexander will speak at the STATE OF ASIA conference in Zurich on November 22, 2023. Fin...
2023-10-0332 minState of AsiaAccidents and Agency with Bilahari KausikanBilahari Kausikan is an iconic veteran of diplomacy, with a career of 37 years under his belt at Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He served as Ambassador to Russia, to the UN in New York, and as the Ministry's Permanent Secretary.In this episode, he explains why he's not unhopeful about the state of the world, the fundamental dilemma facing China, and how, as a small country, you can still have agency on the global stage.Bilahari will deliver the annual STATE OF ASIA Address in Zurich, Switzerland, on November 21, 2023. He'll also...
2023-09-1935 minState of AsiaNEW SEASON – Coming Sep 19State of Asia, the podcast from Asia Society Switzerland, is back with a new season of engaging conversations with leading minds on the issues that shape Asia and affect us all.The season premieres Tuesday, Sep 19, with a conversation with Bilahari Kausikan, former Ambassador and Permanent Secretary at Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. New episodes follow every other Tuesday.Bilahari, as well as other guests featured this season, will be in Zurich, Switzerland, to speak at our flagship STATE OF ASIA conference on November 21 and 22, 2023. More info here.Over the coming...
2023-09-1201 minState of AsiaAsia Inside Out with Rahm EmanuelAsia Inside Out, a podcast from our friends at the Asia Society Policy Institute (ASPI), just relaunched. The first episode, which we're sharing here, features Rahm Emanuel, U.S. Ambassador to Japan, in conversation with Rorry Daniels, Managing Director at ASPI.Subscribe to Asia Inside Out in your favourite podcast app, or listen here.Get in the right starting position to fill the second half of the year with great Asia content and events. Register now to attend our annual flagship STATE OF ASIA conference, taking place November 22, 2023, in Zurich, Switzerland. More...
2023-07-1848 minState of AsiaState of Asia with Evan FeigenbaumEvan Feigenbaum, Vice President at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, has a career spanning the highest levels of government, academia, think tanks, and the private sector, covering Central, South, and East Asia. It makes him uniquely qualified to discuss the State of Asia writ large on this final episode of the season.He talks about how China and the US act as 'security narcissists', creating a danger for the whole region, and how other Asian countries are nervously trying to navigate this predicament.Plus: hear why Even calls India a 'dissatisfied...
2023-07-0436 minState of AsiaShould Europe side with the U.S. on China?In this bonus episode of STATE OF ASIA, listen to four experts debate whether Europe should side with the U.S. on China, or carve out its own path in the relationship with Beijing.They participated in an Oxford Debate in front of a live audience in Zurich on June 26, 2023, organised by Asia Society Switzerland. Presenting clear-cut, time-constrained, well-thought-out arguments are:Noah Barkin, Senior Advisor in Rhodium Group's China practice, based in Berlin, Germany.Philippe Le Corre, Senior Fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute's Center for China Analysis, based in Paris, France.
2023-06-2729 minState of AsiaState of India in the World with Amrita NarlikarAmrita Narlikar is President of the German Institute for Global and Area Studies and Professor of International Relations at the University of Hamburg. She is currently also serving as a co-chair of the T20's Task Force 3, which forms a part of the G20 process under India's Presidency.In this episode, she talks about why the West should engage and cooperate with India a lot more than it's doing now, about the new character of globalised trade, and the unique perspective India brings to its current G20 presidency.STATE OF ASIA brings you...
2023-06-2031 minState of AsiaState of Taiwan with Brian HioeBrian Hioe 丘琦欣 is a Taipei-based editor and writer. He is one of the founding editors of New Bloom Magazine, an online magazine covering activism and youth politics in Taiwan and Asia Pacific. He is a non-resident fellow at the University of Nottingham’s Taiwan Studies Programme, as well as a freelance journalist and translator. He also writes regularly for The Diplomat on Taiwan.He tweets on all things Taiwan, sometimes by the minute, @brianhioe.In this episode, Brian talks about how people in Taiwan experience the rise and fall, but mostly rise, in c...
2023-06-0635 minState of AsiaState of Southeast Asia and Vietnam with Huong Le ThuHuong Le Thu is a non-resident fellow with the Southeast Asia program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. She's a prolific writer and influential voice on Southeast Asia and its role in the region.In this episode, she talks about Southeast Asia's positioning in the great power competition between China and the U.S., and what opportunities can arise from it for both the region as a whole and for countries like Vietnam individually.The essay 'How to Survive a Great-Power Competition' she wrote for the latest issue of Foreign Affairs, w...
2023-05-2333 minState of AsiaIs Japan's Military Build-up A Threat To Regional Stability?In this bonus episode of STATE OF ASIA, listen to four experts debate whether Japan's recently announced military build-up is a threat to regional stability, in an Oxford Debate organised on May 9, 2023, by Asia Society Switzerland.Presenting clear-cut, time-constrained arguments are:John Delury, professor of Chinese Studies at Yonsei University in SeoulLionel Fetton, assistant professor of International Relations at Webster University in GenevaYuka Koshino, research fellow for Security and Technology Policy at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in LondonKen Moriyasu, diplomatic correspondent at Nikkei...
2023-05-1627 minState of AsiaState of Global China with Marina RudyakMarina Rudyak is a sinologist at the University of Heidelberg in Germany, working on the intersections of China Studies and International Development. Her research focuses on China as a global development actor, the implications of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and China in Central Asia and Africa. She also frequently comments on China's relationships with Russia and Europe. In this episode, she talks about the difference between the Chinese and the western definition of successful development aid, about how and why China sees itself as the voice of the Global South, and much more.
2023-05-0935 minState of AsiaState of Climate Change with Pakistan's Minister Sherry RehmanSherry Rehman is Pakistan's Federal Minister for Climate Change. She was just named one of 2023's 100 most influential people in the world by TIME magazine. At the most recent U.N. climate talks, in November 2022, she led a delegation of 77 developing nations plus China.She sits down with Asia Society Switzerland to talk about the apocalyptic effect climate change is already having on her country. She explains what she means by 'climate colonialism', and how she remains hopeful the world will realise that real action needs to be taken now.State of Asia...
2023-04-2535 minState of AsiaNEW SEASON - Coming April 25State of Asia, the podcast from Asia Society Switzerland, is back with a new season of engaging conversations with leading minds on the issues that shape Asia and affect us all.The season premieres this Tuesday with a conversation with Sherry Rehman, Pakistan's Federal Minister for Climate Change. New episodes follow every other Tuesday.Over the coming months, special episodes of State of Asia will also bring you insights from some of the many events organised by Asia Society Switzerland.Stay up-to-date on all our activities: subscribe to the newsletter and...
2023-04-1801 minState of AsiaThe State of IndiaA bonus episode, fully dedicated to India, before we kick-off an all new season of the State of Asia podcast.Nico Luchsinger, Executive Director of Asia Society Switzerland, recently spent nine days in India to take the pulse of the subcontinent that is certainly having its moment. He spoke with a wide range of experts in New Delhi on India's development, domestic and foreign politics, economy, and pioneering digital infrastructure. And he went to the movies.Nico talks about his experiences with Aurelia Rauch, Creative Director at Bergos AG and host of...
2023-03-2339 minState of AsiaBergos Now on the State of AsiaA nice extra in the State of Asia feed: an episode of Bergos Now, the podcast from Bergos Private Bank, hosted by Aurelia Rauch. In this episode, Aurelia speaks with Nico Luchsinger, Executive Director of Asia Society Switzerland, on the State of Asia.Together they ask themselves: Is this the Asian Century? And where is Asia, really?The episode was recorded in October 2022. Thanks to Bergos, a corporate partner of Asia Society Switzerland, for letting us share the episode with you here.Listen to more of Bergos Now, and subscribe...
2022-12-2741 minState of AsiaHas China's Global Power Reached Its Peak?In this bonus episode of State of Asia, listen to four stellar experts debating whether China has reached the peak of its global power, in a recent Oxford Debate organised by Asia Society Switzerland.Presenting clear-cut, time-constrained, well-thought-out arguments are:Simona Grano, Senior Lecturer and Director of the Taiwan Studies Project at the University of ZurichBates Gill, Executive Director of the Center for China Analysis at the Asia Society Policy InstituteDan Rosen, Co-Founder of Rhodium Group, where he leads the research on ChinaRorry Daniels, Managing...
2022-12-0727 minState of AsiaThe 2022 State of Asia AddressIn this episode, listen to the inaugural State of Asia Address, given by C. Raja Mohan, one of India's foremost foreign policy thinkers and a Senior Fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute in New Delhi.Raja talks about new pessimism surrounding the rise of Asia with the return of great power rivalry. He pleads for much deeper connections between Asia and Europe to build security, stability, and prosperity in the face of current and coming crises.Raja spoke on the eve of the STATE OF ASIA conference in Zurich, Switzerland. Check out...
2022-11-1424 minState of AsiaState of Asia with Agatha KratzAgatha Kratz heads Rhodium Group’s China corporate advisory team, as well as its research on European Union-China relations and China’s economic statecraft. She contributes to Rhodium's work on China’s global investment, industrial policy and technology aspirations. Agatha is also a non-resident Adjunct Fellow of the Reconnecting Asia Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies under the Simon Chair in Political Economy.In this episode, Agatha talks about why the reasons for China's economic slowdown go much deeper than zero-COVID lockdowns. She explains how she still manages to get new information on Chi...
2022-10-3127 minState of AsiaState of Asia with James CrabtreeJames Crabtree leads the growing research team of the International Institute for Strategic Studies in Singapore, focused on the Asia-Pacific. Prior to joining the IISS, James was a Singapore-based author and journalist, and an Associate Professor of Practice at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. His best-selling 2018 book, The Billionaire Raj: A Journey Through India’s New Gilded Age was shortlisted for the FT / McKinsey book of the year. In this episode, James talks about the effects of increasing tensions between China and other great powers on Southeast Asia. We also talk about wh...
2022-10-1730 minState of AsiaState of Asia with Leni RobredoLeni Robredo was the 14th Vice President of the Philippines, serving from 2016 to 2022. During her term, she reinvented the Office of the Vice President from a purely ceremonial one into an advocacy centered office, instituting poverty alleviation programs all over the country. This May, she lost in the presidential elections to Ferdinand 'Bong Bong' Marcos, Jr., who spoke at Asia Society on Sep. 23, 2022. Robredo then set up Angat Buhay, a non governmental organization which focuses on education, health, community engagement, disaster response and rehabilitation. Angat Buhay aims to become the biggest network of volunteers in the...
2022-10-0331 minState of AsiaState of Asia with C. Raja MohanC. Raja Mohan is one if India's foremost foreign policy thinkers and a Senior Fellow with the Asia Society Policy Institute in New Delhi, India. He has published widely on India's foreign and security policies and Asian geopolitics.He also is a columnist for Foreign Policy and a contributing editor on international affairs at the Indian Express.In this episode, he talks about the challenges to find balance among multiple great powers in Asia, about why the effect of India's foreign policy seems to lag behind expectations, and on why criticism from Western countries...
2022-09-1930 minState of AsiaState of Asia with Tomohiko TaniguchiTomohiko Taniguchi was Special Advisor to Japan's longest-serving Prime Minister, the late Shinzo Abe.He was the primary writer on Abe's foreign policy speeches, having joined the ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2005 after a 20-year career in journalism at Nikkei Business.He is currently a professor at Keio University specializing in international political economy and Japanese diplomacy.In this conversation, he talks about his worries for security in Asia; who he thinks is the biggest threat to the future of Japan, and why hope remains such an important commodity if we want to...
2022-09-0527 minState of AsiaSTATE OF ASIA - our new podcast seriesState of Asia is the podcast from Asia Society Switzerland.Engaging conversations with leading minds on current and future developments in Asia, that affect us all.This season, our guests include: Leni Robredo, until recently Vice President of the Philippines; C Raja Mohan, one of India's foremost foreign policy thinkers; and John Zhu, Chief Economist Asia at Swiss Re in Hong Kong.In our first episode, premiering Monday, we speak with Tomohiko Taniguchi, former Special Advisor to Japan's longest-serving Prime Minster, the late Shinzo...
2022-08-3101 min
Gaan!Journalist Remko Tanis over de situatie in HongkongAfgelopen week zijn er in Hongkong opnieuw activisten en oppositiepolitici opgepakt. Zij volgens China deel aan illegale protesten en overtraden daarmee coronaregels. De activisten protesteerde tegen de nieuwe veiligheidswet. Over die veiligheidswet is veel te doen de afgelopen tijd. Bij de overdracht van Hong Kong van het Verenigd Koninkrijk naar China is afgelopen dat nog 50 jaar niet dezelfde wetten zouden gelden in het staatje als in China. Hongkong heeft meer vrijheden, zijn eigen bestuur en economisch systeem. Maar China heeft zich hier dus niet aan gehouden. Bij ons te gast is onafhankelijk journalist Remko Tanis. Remko heeft langere tijd in...
2020-12-1755 min