Asia Rising

The United States’ approach to Taiwan has long been defined by ‘strategic ambiguity’. While it has never directly challenged China’s claim over the island, the U.S. has also never shied away from selling weapons to Taipei or making use of the Taiwan Strait for naval exercises. The Trump administration has arguably provided more tangible and symbolic support for Taiwan than any previous U.S. presidency - but how much of that is related to China? Is Taiwan just a pawn in a diplomatic chess game between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, and what does the United States prioritise in the relationship? A live recording of the Asia Rising podcast via zoom. Guest: Natasha Kassam (Research Fellow, Diplomacy and Public Opinion Program, Lowy Institute) Recorded 21st July 2020.

The election of Donald Trump was met with mixed emotions across Asia, and in the years since his presidency has had a marked effect on the stability of the region. Countries are adjusting and re-evaluating their perspectives on regional security, alliances are being tested, and many countries are facing the reality of an Asia without a United States presence. How will security and prosperity be achieved in a contested Asia? Does America benefit from an unstable Asia? And what might the future bring for the region with a change of president in America or four more years of Donald Trump? A live recording of the Asia Rising podcast via zoom. Guest: Professor Nick Bisley (Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, La Trobe University) Recorded 15th July 2020.

The election of Donald Trump heralded a new era in the relationship between the United States and India. For India, America has become arguably its most important partner, and the new president represented a volatile unknown. In subsequent years, policy-makers have tried to limit disruption and move the India-U.S. relationship forward. While the strategic side of the relationship has not been without differences, there is a lot at stake for India-U.S. relations. India has unpredictable neighbours in China and Pakistan, and the United States is critical to the maritime security of the Indian Ocean. Has the Trump presidency been good for India and America? Do Narendra Modi and Donald Trump have a good working relationship, and how could things change for the two countries in the future? A live podcast recording of the Asia Rising podcast via zoom. Guest: Tanvi Madan (Director, The India Project, The Brookings Institution) Recorded 7th July 2020.

Donald J. Trump’s win in the 2016 US elections was met with mixed emotions across Asia. Many in the region greeted the election with cautious optimism. They assumed that Washington would take a more pragmatic line, and that a man who prided himself on his business acumen would present new opportunities in trade and resource relations. But the Trump presidency has proven to be unpredictable. His relationship with Asian countries has been wide-ranging, from flattering to negligent, and competition among the major powers, particularly between China and the United States, has intensified and is now the dominant feature of the region’s international relations. So how has the relationship between the United States and Asia fared under the leadership of Donald Trump? Will the situation improve in the future, and what will it mean for the power balance in the region if they don’t? The launch of the La Trobe Asia Brief Issue 4 - Trump in Asia: A More Dangerous Place. Panel: - Associate Professor Nicole Curato (Cen

The United States and North Korea both share a desire to achieve a breakthrough in their relationship, but to very different ends. At one time there was the hope that strongman personalities of Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un could push their way through diplomatic roadblocks, but with a year since their last significant meeting interaction has stalled. Guest: Sea Young Kim, (Research Associate and Project Manager, the East Asia Institute (EAI), South Korea). Theme music: Asian Wonders by Butterfly Tea Recorded 24th April, 2020.

Over the past decade the hotly disputed South China Sea has become increasingly used as example of the rising strategic competition between the People’s Republic of China and the United States. Overlapping territory claims and maritime jurisdiction, strategic control over maritime domain, and differences in legal interpretations of freedom of navigation combine in a broader contest that affects multiple countries in Southeast Asia as they defend their maritime entitlements. Even regional non-claimant states such as Australia, Japan, India and South Korea claim stakes in the South China Sea, reflecting concerns about the shifting regional order and China’s intentions in the maritime domain. How do these different countries approach the South China Sea disputes? How are concepts around sovereignty, history and the law of the sea used and abused in foreign policy discussions and discourses? And what capacity is there for the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) – the so-called Constitution

This La Trobe Asia event launches the newly released Australian Journal of International Affairs special issue “Critical Analyses in Australian Foreign, Defence and Strategic Policy”, a collection of essays by early- to mid-career Australian women researchers that arose as a response to ongoing issues around women’s visibility and representation in Australian International Affairs. Session One:vWomen in Australian International Affairs What challenges face women's equitable participation in the discipline & vocation of International Relations, & what strategies and responses might help redress gender imbalances in the field? This keynote panel will discuss the findings of the article “Women in Australian International Affairs”, written Dr Jasmine-Kim Westendorf and Dr Bec Strating of La Trobe Uni who co-edited the special issue. Panel: Dr Jasmine-Kim Westendorf, La Trobe U Professor Sara Davies, Griffith U Associate Professor Sarah Percy, Queensland U Chair: Dr Bec Strating, La Trobe U Session Tw

Countries in Asia are dealing with the Covid-19 crisis differently, and Vietnam has been widely praised in its apparent success. But is this success down to luck, or tight government control? Guest: Bill Hayton (Author of Vietnam: Rising Dragon (2010), his forthcoming book is The Invention of China (2020).

While much of the world is still in the grips of a tumultuous pandemic, areas of Asia are in recovery and planning for the year ahead, albeit at a cautious pace. China, Hong Kong, South Korea and Australia are executing roadmaps for economic recovery, and there are signs that some countries will benefit at the expense of distracted western democracies. How does the next year look for the region? Will Asia emerge from the pandemic region stronger, and have a bolder China to contend with? In this La Trobe Asia webinar we will be joined panel of experts to discuss Asia’s pandemic recovery. Panel: Tanvi Madan (Senior Fellow, Brookings Institute) Bill Hayton (Associate Fellow, Chatham House Asia-Pacific) Nick Bisley (Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, La Trobe University) Chair: Bec Strating (Executive Director, La Trobe Asia) Webinar held on 14 May, 2020.

Since 2017, more than a million Uyghurs and members of other Turkic Muslim minorities have disappeared into a vast network of ‘re-education camps’ in the far west region of Xinjiang in what some experts call a systematic, government-led program of cultural genocide. Now it appears that plans have entered a new phase, as government officials now claim that all ‘trainees’ have ‘graduated’. There is mounting evidence that many Uyghurs are now being forced to work in factories within Xinjiang. Guest: Associate Professor James Leibold (Politics and Philosophy, La Trobe University)

Asia has been coping with the coronavirus in a variety of ways. Some regions, such as China, Hong Kong and South Korea, have reached a point where they are living with it. Others, such as India, Indonesia and the Philippines, are just emerging with cases, and due to low testing it’s hard to get a full picture of the situation. In this episode of Asia Rising, we will hear from three countries in lockdown. Guests: Professor Paul Yip (Centre of Suicide Research and Prevention, Hong Kong University) Sea-Young Kim (East Asia Institute, Seoul, South Korea) Dr Sandesha Rayapa (Linguistic Empowerment Cell, Jawaharlal Nehru University, India)

The South China Seas comprises a large international body of water south of Taiwan. There are island and maritime claims from a number of sovereign states in the region, and is economically important as a commercial gateway for merchant shipping. While much has been said on the arena of competition between the US and China, much less ink has been spilt on comparing the approaches of regional non-claimant states - Australia, India, South Korea and Japan - who all make the South China Seas their business. These states are often described as 'like-minded states' - are they? Guest: Dr Rebecca Strating (Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations at La Trobe University, Executive Director of La Trobe Asia) Recorded 19 March, 2020.

Since 2017, more than a million Uyghurs and members of other Turkic Muslim minorities have disappeared into a vast network of ‘re-education camps’ in the far west region of Xinjiang, China, in what some experts call a systematic, government-led program of cultural genocide. The ‘re-education' appears to be entering a new phase, as government officials now claim that all ‘trainees’ have ‘graduated’. There is mounting evidence that many Uyghurs are now being forced to work in factories that are in the supply chains of at least 83 well-known global brands in the technology, clothing and automotive sectors, including Apple, BMW, Gap, Huawei, Nike, Samsung, Sony and Volkswagen. In this La Trobe Asia webinar we will be joined panel of experts who have investigated and reported on the Uyghur forced labour. Panel: Associate Professor James Leibold (Head of Department - Politics, Media and Philosophy at La Trobe University) Vicky Xiuzhong Xu (Researcher, Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI)) Anna Fifield (J

What started as a protest against a proposed new law, which would see people extradited from Hong Kong to mainland China to face Beijing-style justice, has now turned into a battle for the future of Hong Kong. Sophie McNeill, a Walkley award winning journalist for the ABC television program 4 corners, was on the frontlines of Hong Kong's democracy protests. Guest: Sophie McNeill (Reporter, 4 Corners, ABC) Recorded 18 February, 2020.

With the coronavirus pandemic spreading throughout the world the long-term effects are hard to project, and many are starting to question how a global event like this could alter the Asian economy and the balance of power. Guest: Professor Nick Bisley (Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, La Trobe University) Recorded 13 March, 2020

The Indo-Pacific is both a place and an idea. It is the region central to global prosperity and security. It is also a metaphor for collective action. If diplomacy fails, it will be the theatre of the first general war since 1945. But if its future can be secured, the Indo-Pacific will flourish as a shared space, the centre of gravity in a connected world. Not only is the Indo-Pacific the area where the growing China-US rivalry seems to playing out, it is also home to a host of large and middle powers. These countries have a stake in that Great Power contest, but they also have ambitions and growing economies of their own. How can other countries respond to a strong and coercive China without resorting to capitulation or conflict? Professor Rory Medcalf (Head of the National Security College at the Australian National University) is in conversation with Dr Rebecca Strating (Executive Director, La Trobe Asia) at the Melbourne launch of his new book Contest for the Indo-Pacific: Why China Won't Map the Future

For months the citizens of Hong Kong have been taking to the streets, protesting democratic deterioration and rights violations. There have been frequent clashes with police, outbreaks of violence and widespread disruption to the city. As the new year begins the movement shows little sign of relenting, and while it has had some success it would take serious changes in mainland China for broader demands to be considered. While many democracies have voiced support for the movement, even more have remained silent, wary of the damaging accusations of meddling or drawing the ire of Beijing. So what are the demands of the protest movement? What is a likely future for Hong Kong’s democratic movement, and what does it mean for both the island and mainland China? In this La Trobe Asia public event, an expert panel will consider the future and potential of Hong Kong’s democratic movement. Panel: Sophie McNeill (Reporter, 4 Corners, ABC) Dr Kevin Carrico (Senior lecturer, Chinese Studies, Monash University) Yun Ji

North Korea is one the world's most authoritarian and isolated countries, cut off from global trade and Western influence. Yet, its doors remain open to tourists, who the government welcomes and is keen to show the North Korea it wants them to see. Guest: James Scullin (Tour leader in North Korea, co-author: The Hotels of Pyongyang) Recorded 7 February, 2020.

Violence against women and gender activism became central issues in Indonesia during the 2019 elections. The growing importance of these issues and events is a sign of how successful they have been at rallying supporters in the digital media environment. Guest: Dr Monika Winarnita (Honorary Research Fellow, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, La Trobe University) Recorded 5 December, 2019.

The mountains of the Himalaya are instantly recognisable, and they play a critical role in Asia’s climate, hydrology, ecology, and geopolitics. Despite their regional and global importance, they face multiple, severe, and intersecting threats that do not receive the attention they deserve. Speakers: Dr Alexander E. Davis (New Generation Network Research Fellow, Politics, La Trobe University) Dr Ruth Gamble (David Myers Research Fellow, La Trobe University) Dr Gerald Roche (Research Fellow, Politics, Media and Philosophy, La Trobe University) Dr. K.R. Rama Mohan (Associate Professor, Head of Anthropology, Sikkim University) Pema Dorjee (Consulting Editor, Summit Times) Dr Uttam Lal (Assistant Professor, Department of Geography, Sikkim University) An Indian launch of the La Trobe Asia Brief Issue 3, held in partnership with the anthropology department of Sikkim University on 22 November, 2019.