Asia In-Depth

Nalin 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 but certain to once again win the elections, could set as priorities upon starting his second decade as Prime Minister. This episode is from Asia Society Switzerland's STATE OF ASIA podcast, bringing you exclusive, engaging conversations with leading minds on issues that shape Asia and affect us all. More info and other episodes: https://asiasociety.org/switzerland/podcast-state-asia

NEW YORK, March 21, 2024 — Asia Society Policy Institute, in partnership with Perry World House at the University of Pennsylvania, hosts a discussion on the U.S.-China relationship and how it impacts global trends. Speakers include Kishore Mahbubani, 2023-24 Schlager visiting fellow at the University of Pennsylvania's Perry World House; and Orville Schell, Arthur Ross director of the Asia Society’s Center on U.S.-China Relations. Rorry Daniels, managing director of Asia Society Policy Institute, moderates the conversation.Asia Inside Out brings together our team and special guests to take you beyond the latest policy headlines and provide an insider’s view on regional and global affairs. Each month we’ll deliver an interview with informed experts, analysts, and decision-makers from across the Asia-Pacific region. If you want to dig into the details of how policy works, this is the podcast for you. This podcast is produced by the Asia Society Policy Institute, a “think-and-do tank” working on the cutting edge of current policy trends by incorporating the best ideas from our experts and contributors into recommendations for policy makers to put these plans into practice.

WASHINGTON D.C., January 25, 2024 — In this episode of Asia Inside Out, Wendy Cutler, Vice President & Managing Director of the Asia Society Policy Institute in Washington, D.C., leads a discussion at the Asia Society Policy Institute’s Asia Spotlight 2024 conference with Nick Schifrin, Foreign Affairs and Defense Correspondent at PBS Newshour; Demetri Sevastopulo, U.S.-China Correspondent at the Financial Times; Lingling Wei, Chief China Correspondent at the Wall Street Journal; and Edward Wong, Diplomatic Correspondent at the New York Times. The journalists and analysts discuss U.S.-China relations, China’s economy, the U.S. presidential election, and North Korea.Asia Inside Out brings together our team and special guests to take you beyond the latest policy headlines and provide an insider’s view on regional and global affairs. Each month we’ll deliver an interview with informed experts, analysts, and decision-makers from across the Asia-Pacific region. If you want to dig into the details of how policy works, this is the podcast for you. This podcast is produced by the Asia Society Policy Institute, a “think-and-do tank” working on the cutting edge of current policy trends by incorporating the best ideas from our expert

This month, we dive into the details of COP28, the world’s annual climate policy gathering, and what it means for Asia. Host and Asia Society Policy Institute (ASPI) Managing Director Rorry Daniels discusses what progress was made and what remains to be done with her colleagues, Li Shuo, incoming Director of China Climate Hub at the Asia Society Policy Institute and Kate Logan, Associate Director of Climate at the Asia Society Policy Institute, both of whom attended the COP in Dubai.Asia Inside Out brings together our team and special guests to take you beyond the latest policy headlines and provide an insider’s view on regional and global affairs. Each month we’ll deliver an interview with informed experts, analysts, and decision-makers from across the Asia-Pacific region. If you want to dig into the details of how policy works, this is the podcast for you. This podcast is produced by the Asia Society Policy Institute, a “think-and-do tank” working on the cutting edge of current policy trends by incorporating the best ideas from our expert

Ahead of COP28, host and Asia Society Policy Institute (ASPI) Managing Director Rorry Daniels and guest co-host, Director of South Asia Initiatives of ASPI Farwa Aamer, talk to the UN Resident Coordinator in India Shombi Sharp, who shares his insights about the role of India on the global stage. The conversation covers a range of topics including India's perspective on G20 leadership, innovative development strategies, climate action, and inclusive policies. They also explore India’s multifaceted approach that shapes its role in global affairs.

NEW YORK, November 14, 2023 — Ahead of the important meeting between U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping this week, renowned Sinologist and Australian Ambassador to the United States, the Hon. Kevin Rudd, chats with Danny Russel, Vice President for International Security and Diplomacy at the Asia Society Policy Institute, about the bilateral relationship, drivers of China's policy decision-making, and what to expect from the meeting. Ambassador Rudd also speaks about the China-Australia relationship in the wake of Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s visit to Beijing this month.

In the latest episode of Asia Inside Out, host and Asia Society Policy Institute (ASPI) Managing Director Rorry Daniels talks to Middle East specialist and ASPI Distinguished Fellow Jeffrey Feltman about the ongoing situation in the Middle East and its implications for regional and global politics and security.Asia Inside Out brings together our team and special guests to take you beyond the latest policy headlines and provide an insider’s view on regional and global affairs. Each month we’ll deliver an interview with informed experts, analysts, and decision-makers from across the Asia-Pacific region. If you want to dig into the details of how policy works, this is the podcast for you. This podcast is produced by the Asia Society Policy Institute, a “think-and-do tank” working on the cutting edge of current policy trends by incorporating the best ideas from our experts and contributors into recommendations for policy makers to put these plans into practice. 

Today’s geopolitical circumstance, defined by the rivalry between the United States and China, has redefined the dynamics of regional and global orders. This reality is palpable in the Pacific region, where the strategic interests of major powers and their allies intersect and undermine aspirations for a “united ocean of peace.” In the latest episode of Asia Inside Out, host and ASPI Managing Director Rorry Daniels chats with Dame Meg Taylor, non-resident Distinguished Fellow for the Blue Pacific at ASPI, about the challenges Pacific-led regionalism faces as it grapples with this evolving external power dynamic alongside internal challenges of unity.Asia Inside Out brings together our team and special guests to take you beyond the latest policy headlines and provide an insider’s view on regional and global affairs. Each month we’ll deliver an interview with informed experts, analysts, and decision-makers from across the Asia-Pacific region. If you want to dig into the details of how policy works, this is the podcast for you. This podcast is produced by the Asia Society Policy Institute, a “think-and-do tank” working on the cutting edge of current policy trends by incorporating the best ideas from our experts and contributors into recommendations for policy makers to put these plans into practice. 

Where do things stand in Hong Kong today, and what might the future hold?This month, Asia Inside Out host Rorry Daniels speaks with two Hong Kong politicians and observers of US-China relations: Emily Lau and Adrian Ho. The two Hong Kongers see the city's political culture, relationship with Beijing, and recent history—including the seismic 2019 protests—very differently. They each discuss the effects so far of the 2020 National Security Law, as well as their distinct ideas about what national security is and how Hong Kong should secure it. The conversation also features their separate perspectives on Hong Kong's relationship with the US and PRC and how they envision the city's future.Emily Lau is a former politician and journalist and remains engaged in Hong Kong's civic and political life. She was the first woman directly elected to the Legislative Council of Hong Kong in 1991, and was Chairperson of the Democratic Party from 2012 to 2016.Adrian Ho is a Hong Kong politician and businessman. In 2019, he founded a Facebook group called SaveHK, which became the largest pro-Beijing group on Facebook, with 200,000 members at one point. A member of the New People's Party, he was elected to the Legislative Council of Hong Kong in 2022. Asia Inside Out brings together our team and special guests to take you beyond the latest policy headlines and provide an insider’s view on regional and global affairs. Each month we’ll deliver an interview with informed experts, analysts, and decision-makers from across the Asia-Pacific region. If you want to dig into the details of how policy works, this is the podcast for you. This podcast is produced by the Asia Society Policy Institute, a “think-and-do tank” working on the cutting edge of current policy trends by incorporating the best ideas from our experts and contributors into recommendations for policy makers to put these plans into practice. 

This week we’re releasing a special edition of our podcast: Qin Gang Out. Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang was recently removed as China’s foreign minister after being absent from public view for several weeks, so we recently live streamed a panel discussion on what may have happened, what it means for China's foreign policy, what might come next from his replacement, and U.S.-China relations moving forward. Speakers include Asia Society Policy Institute’s Center for China Analysis Senior Fellow Rorry Daniels, Senior Fellow on Chinese Politics Christopher K. Johnson, and Fellow on Chinese Politics Neil Thomas. Bates Gill, executive director of Asia Society Policy Institute’s Center for China Analysis, moderated the discussion.Have a listen. Asia Inside Out brings together our team and special guests to take you beyond the latest policy headlines and provide an insider’s view on regional and global affairs. Each month we’ll deliver an interview with informed experts, analysts, and decision-makers from across the Asia-Pacific region. If you want to dig into the details of how policy works, this is the podcast for you. This podcast is produced by the Asia Society Policy Institute, a “think-and-do tank” working on the cutting edge of current policy trends by incorporating the best ideas from our experts and contributors into recommendations for policy makers to put these plans into practice. 

Welcome to the relaunch of Asia Inside Out, a podcast from the Asia Society Policy Institute (ASPI) that explores the latest news and developments in Asia foreign policy.Our first guest in our return episode is Rahm Emanuel, United States Ambassador to Japan. A well established figure in American politics, he was most recently the Mayor of Chicago from 2011 to 2019. Prior to that he served as the White House Chief of Staff under President Barack Obama, and before that as a member of the United States House of Representatives.In this conversation with ASPI Managing Director Rorry Daniels, Ambassador Emanuel talks to us about how Japan is increasingly taking the lead on major diplomatic initiatives, why America’s brand in Asia is strong, and how quickly Japanese society is changing. Asia Inside Out brings together our team and special guests to take you beyond the latest policy headlines and provide an insider’s view on regional and global affairs. Each month we’ll deliver an interview with informed experts, analysts, and decision-makers from across the Asia-Pacific region. If you want to dig into the details of how policy works, this is the podcast for you. This podcast is produced by the Asia Society Policy Institute, a “think-and-do tank” working on the cutting edge of current policy trends by incorporating the best ideas from our experts and contributors into recommendations for policy makers to put these plans into practice. 

We're relaunching Asia Inside Out, a podcast from the Asia Society Policy Institute that explores the latest news and developments in Asia foreign policy. It's been three years so allow us to reintroduce ourselves…Asia Inside Out brings together our team and special guests to take you beyond the latest policy headlines and provide an insider’s view on regional and global affairs. Each month we’ll deliver an interview with informed experts, analysts, and decision-makers from across the Asia-Pacific region. If you're interested in why what happens in Asia matters, and want to dig into the details of how policy works, this is the podcast for you. Check out a preview of our first episode back, where we reveal our first guest, and check out our first episode next week.This podcast is produced by the Asia Society Policy Institute, a “think-and-do tank” working on the cutting edge of current policy trends by incorporating the best ideas from our experts and contributors into recommendations for policy makers to put these plans into practice. 

In this episode, we are joined by Parag Khanna, an internationally best-selling author who has written about globalization and geopolitics. His most recent book “MOVE: Where People Are Going for a Better Future” is about a new era of mass migration we are entering, propelled by changing economies, technology disruptions, conflict, and climate change. But as Parag argues “to be human is to move.” Mobility has always been entwined in the human experience.Parag is joined by Bates Gill, Executive Director of Asia Society Policy Institute’s Center for China Analysis. They speak about looking outward to better understand the world we live in and to work together to make our world safer, smarter, and cleaner. They also share their thoughts on a future increasingly shaped by Asia and how young people should prepare themselves for a global career.

Chances are that if you’ve been paying attention to the alarming rise of anti-Asian violence in the U.S., you’ve heard of journalist CeFaan Kim. His reporting, and his Twitter and Instagram feeds, have become go-to sources for keeping up with updates of anti-Asian attacks in New York City and nationwide.CeFaan Kim is a Korean American reporter at ABC News in New York City. Growing up in Philadelphia, CeFaan recognized from an early age that there was little representation of Asians in the media. And so he decided to embark on a career as a reporter. Now, two decades into his career, CeFaan has become known for his reporting on Asian American issues, specifically poverty within the community. Then, the COVID-19 pandemic happened, and CeFaan became a crucial voice in covering the rise of anti-Asian violence.In an interview with Asia Society, CeFaan recounts what it was like to report stories of violence against Asian Americans during the height of the pandemic as an Asian American himself, the importance of journalism in the era of social media, and what kinds of changes he hopes to see going forward. He speaks about all of this and more with Asia Society’s Aalok Kanani.

Relations between the United States and China, the world’s two largest economies, are arguably worse than they’ve been at any time in almost 50 years. Following decades of engagement, the Sino-American relationship is now characterized by competition — a race to become the dominant power in Asia — that some observers fear could spiral into a catastrophic conflict.In his new book The Avoidable War, Asia Society President Kevin Rudd argues that war between the two great powers is not inevitable — but the two sides must establish a set of guardrails for managing their competition. In this episode of Asia In-Depth, we’ll hear a conversation between Rudd and Ian Bremmer, the president and founder of the Eurasia Group and GZERO Media, about the current state of the U.S.-China relationship and what Russia’s recent invasion of Ukraine means for Beijing.

In this episode of Asia In-Depth, we’ll hear an expert panel tease out the implications of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. How will China — which recently declared that its relationship with Russia had “no limits” — react? And what are the stakes for India, Japan, and countries in Southeast Asia?Participants include Kevin Rudd, president and CEO of Asia Society and president of the Asia Society Policy Institute; Ambassador Bilahari Kausikan from the National University of Singapore, and C. Raja Mohan, an Asia Society Policy Institute fellow based in New Delhi. The conversation was moderated by Daniel Russel, vice president of international security and diplomacy at the Asia Society Policy Institute.

The actor and former political appointee talks about his upbringing, early professional struggles, and his embarrassing first encounter with Barack Obama.

'The Joy Luck Club' author discusses her painful past, her successful career, and everything in between with Orville Schell.

The director of Asia Society's Center on U.S.-China Relations talks with Mary Kay Magistad about his six decades observing China, in an episode celebrating the launch of the third edition of Asia Society Magazine.

The end of U.S. occupation in Afghanistan has raised a number of critical questions, about the humanitarian consequences of the war, the stability of the region, and what life under Taliban rule may look like.