Why Should We Care About the Indo-Pacific?

Former Singaporean diplomat Bilihari Kausikan joins Jim and Ray to discuss the implications of Donald Trump’s second term and his “America First” policies for Asia.Bilihari emphasizes that a focus on domestic policy is not unusual for U.S. presidents, and that Asian countries have learned to adapt practically to American policy changes. In fact, he believes that the current administration’s policies are closer to America’s historical norm than many realize.Ultimately, he believes that American stability is crucial for Asian prosperity, and that Asia needs continued U.S. military presence.According to Bilihari, Asians have different expectations for the so-called rules-based order than westerners, and tend not to be as sensitive to violations of norms. He says that Trump’s emphasis on hard deterrence and “peace through strength” can be more effective in Asia than appeals to values.Bilihari notes that Singapore in particular values economic rules over political ones.The conversation turned to Taiwan, which Bilihari believes has suffered from a sense of entitlement to U.S. support, spending insufficiently on its own defense and lacking strategic focus.For the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Bilihari explains that its main objective is to manage relations between the member states, and that is where it is most effective. He believes that it must continue to adapt to changing realities to stay relevant.Finally, Bilihari explains his famous assertion that ASEAN is a cow, not a horse.Read Bilihari Kausikan’s January 2025 article in Foreign Affairs magazine, “Who’s Afraid of America First?”Follow us on X, @IndoPacPodcast; or on LinkedIn or BlueSky at our show title, Why Should We Care About the Indo-Pacific?Follow Ray Powell on X (@GordianKnotRay) or on LinkedIn. Follow Jim Carouso on LinkedIn.Our podcast is produced by IEJ Media, sharing news that matters on statecraft & instruments of national power. Follow IEJ Media on X (@iejmedia), and follow our producer Ian Ellis-Jones on X (@ianellisjones) or on LinkedIn. This podcast is sponsored by BowerGroupAsia, a strategic advisory firm that specializes in the Indo-Pacific.

Why Should We (and especially Taiwan) Care About China’s New “Invasion Barges”?Defense expert Tom Shugart joins Ray and Jim to explain China’s so-called “invasion barges”, which have recently gained wide attention exercising along China’s coast. Tom explains how these barges are a significant leap forward for China’s ability to carry out a Taiwan invasion.Tom explains how these barges would be used in an amphibious landing along Taiwan’s famously inaccessible coastline, and how their design opens up options for China to overcome this obstacle.These barges highlight the need for Taiwan to bolster its defenses along its western coast and into the Taiwan Strait itself. This should also serve as a wake-up call to the United States, as its assumptions about China’s military capabilities are rapidly growing obsolete.Tom also talks about his recent work highlighting the need for U.S. air base hardening against attack in the Indo-Pacific, as its large bases are now highly vulnerable to China’s growing arsenal of stand-off weapons.A former submarine warfare officer, Tom also discusses the challenges faced by the U.S. shipbuilding industry to ensure its ability to meet America’s own needs, as well as those for its ally Australia under the AUKUS agreement.Tom asserts that its new barges are further evidence that China can no longer be considered merely an imitator of America, but is now innovating in ways that are pushing its capabilities strongly forward.As the geopolitical consequences of a Chinese conquest of Taiwan would be profound for US alliances, rapid investment in defense infrastructure is critical for both the US and Taiwan.Follow Tom Shugart on X, @tshugart3.Follow us on X, @IndoPacPodcast; or on LinkedIn or BlueSky at our show title, Why Should We Care About the Indo-Pacific?Follow Ray Powell on X (@GordianKnotRay) or on LinkedIn. Follow Jim Carouso on LinkedIn.Our podcast is produced by IEJ Media, sharing news that matters on statecraft & instruments of national power. Follow IEJ Media on X (@iejmedia), and follow our producer Ian Ellis-Jones on X (@ianellisjones) or on LinkedIn. This podcast is sponsored by BowerGroupAsia, a strategic advisory firm that specializes in the Indo-Pacific.

Ray and Jim welcome Dr. Sal Mercogliano, maritime historian and host of the popular YouTube channel What’s Going on with Shipping?, to talk about how “dark fleets”--or what he calls "parallel fleets"--challenge maritime law and Indo-Pacific security by evading international shipping regulations and sanctions against malign actors.Sal talks about how Russia is the country most associated with dark fleets, because sanctions have prompted the country to create a parallel fleet using third-country “flags of convenience”. Many of these countries are magnets for bad actors because they have very lax standards and regulations for registration.The International Maritime Organization (IMO), which is supposed to oversee shipping worldwide, has struggled to enforce and regulate activities at sea, which remains a lawless space. One particularly thorny issue is illegal ship-to-ship transfers. Besides enabling sanctions evasion, these transfers also pose environmental risks as they frequently result in spills.Sal also talks about the state of the U.S. shipping industry, both of which are alarmingly small. This presents a national security vulnerability for a great power with global interests, especially as China dominates global shipping and owns over 20 percent of the world’s ships. He argues for bipartisan legislation to reform America’s merchant marine.Our podcast is produced by IEJ Media, sharing news that matters on statecraft & instruments of national power.Sponsored by BowerGroupAsia, a strategic advisory firm that specializes in the Indo-Pacific.

Jim and Ray welcome broadcast journalist and news anchor Regina Lay to discuss the dramatic feud between the Marcos and Duterte political dynasties in the Philippines. Just three years ago these families were united behind a “Uniteam” ticket which secured an overwhelming electoral victory, but today Vice President Sara Duterte stands impeached and former President Rodrigo Duterte has been handed over to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for prosecution for crimes against humanity.Reggie helps untangle the political and legal elements of these cases, including how the Rodrigo Duterte prosecution holds implications for not only the Philippines but also for the ICC as a landmark test of its legitimacy. She also unpacks the impeachment case against Sara Duterte, which began with an investigation into her financial dealings but has since blossomed into allegations of plotting to assassinate President Marcos.The conversation then turns to the conflicting narratives which have fractured along regional and class lines, and also across dueling social media platforms. They discuss how the results of the May 2025 mid-term elections may be impacted by these events, and how the elections will in turn affect how Sara Duterte’s senate trial proceeds.Finally, they compare these events to the political turmoil in the United States, and consider what opportunities Beijing may seek to exploit amidst their democratic rivals' chaos.Follow Regina Lay on One News PH, where she co-hosts the afternoon Storycon show.Our podcast is produced by IEJ Media, sharing news that matters on statecraft & instruments of national power.Sponsored by BowerGroupAsia, a strategic advisory firm that specializes in the Indo-Pacific.

Jim and Ray welcome BowerGroupAsia CEO Ernie Bower to discuss how U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs will affect regional trade dynamics.Ernie explains Trump often uses tariffs and tariff threats to achieve both trade and non-economic objectives, this also creates significant uncertainty for American companies which must quickly adjust their strategies.He explains how investment in the U.S. had already been increasing due to incentives from the Inflation Reduction Act, but that countries are now looking for more ways to protect their own markets from U.S. tariffs.Ernie asserts that the geopolitical landscape is shifting toward “South-South” cooperation among the countries of Asia and Africa, and that companies are increasingly making manufacturing and investment decisions because of these geopolitical and geo-economic changes. He says that the technology and energy sectors have been leading the transition into new markets.Our podcast is produced by IEJ Media, sharing news that matters on statecraft & instruments of national power.Sponsored by BowerGroupAsia, a strategic advisory firm that specializes in the Indo-Pacific.

Jim and Ray welcome Taiwan Member of Parliament Wang Ting-Yu to discuss the “gray zone” warfare being prosecuted daily by China against his country, highlighted by the recent spate of subsea power and communications cables that link Taiwan’s main island to its outer islands and the world.Mr. Wang emphasizes that Taiwan’s government remains under constant threat of subversion, coercion, espionage and war from Beijing, and that its intimidation campaign affects Taiwan’s security as well as the daily lives of its citizens.He underlines Taiwan’s continued need for international support to build its resilience and its deterrence through military modernization. At the same time, Taiwan needs to maintain the integrity of its democratic, free-market system against Beijing's predations.Wang emphasizes Taiwan's strategic value to the U.S. and its allies while noting its need to accelerate ongoing military modernization efforts.Our podcast is produced by IEJ Media, sharing news that matters on statecraft & instruments of national power.Sponsored by BowerGroupAsia, a strategic advisory firm that specializes in the Indo-Pacific.

General Kevin Schneider, the Commander of the U.S. Pacific Air Forces and a seasoned fighter pilot, discusses the critical role of airpower in the Indo-Pacific. He delves into lessons from the Russia-Ukraine conflict, emphasizing innovative strategies like agile combat employment. Schneider highlights the implications of China's sixth-generation fighters and the importance of U.S. alliances. He also shares the historic moment of delivering U.S. T-6 aircraft to Vietnam, symbolizing strengthened ties in the region.

Jim and Ray welcome U.S. Congressman Joe Courtney, who represents Connecticut’s 2nd District, home to the General Dynamics Electric Boat shipyard in Groton. Rep. Courtney addresses concerns raised by some of our previous guests–most notably former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull–about whether U.S. Virginia-class submarine construction can support Australia’s requirements under the Australia-U.K.-U.S. (AUKUS) agreement.Representative Courtney emphasizes that even in America’s polarized political climate, AUKUS retains bipartisan support, and that keeping up with its nuclear-powered submarine production goals is essential for both U.S. and Australian national security.Even so, supply chain and workforce development challenges continue to threaten the program, and America’s defense industrial base will need even more attention to make sure the U.S. and its allies can keep pace with the rapidly growing military threat posed by China.Our podcast is produced by IEJ Media, sharing news that matters on statecraft & instruments of national power.Sponsored by BowerGroupAsia, a strategic advisory firm that specializes in the Indo-Pacific.

Ray and Jim welcome Sue-Lin Wong, investigative journalist from The Economist, to talk about her new podcast series, “Scam, Inc.”Sue-Lin explains the vast multi-billion criminal network behind the mysterious e-mails, text messages and social media offers that we see every day. She takes us on a harrowing journey from huge scam compounds in Southeast Asia populated by ruthless criminal groups and illegally trafficked people working under often horrific conditions.From Asia she returns to the United States, where she explains how ordinary people are targeted and ensnared into “investing” their money into these elaborate schemes through a process called “pig-butchering”.She walks us through the psychological tactics used by scammers; the role of technology and cryptocurrency; the heartbreaking impact of human trafficking in scam compounds; and how Singapore has mobilized a whole-of-society response. She explains how otherwise rational people can be victimized by the scammers’ increasing sophistication and resources.This crucial conversation highlights the need for awareness at the individual, national and global levels.Follow Sue-Lin on X at @suelinwong.Our podcast is produced by IEJ Media, sharing news that matters on statecraft & instruments of national power.Sponsored by BowerGroupAsia, a strategic advisory firm that specializes in the Indo-Pacific.

Jim and Ray welcome Critical Minerals Institute Co-chair Melissa Sanderson to explain why allowing China to dominate the critical minerals and rare earths industries creates vulnerabilities for the United States and its allies. Mel explains how China has come to control the supply chain for materials fundamental to national defense, technological development and economic security, and why it has thrived while other countries have languished in this sector.Mel explains the steps the United States has taken to secure its critical minerals mining and processing sectors, but also the continuing challenges it faces in competing with China’s price manipulation and industrial policies. She considers the use of tariffs and global partnerships as potential solutions for addressing the problem.Ultimately, Mel argues that the U.S. must aggressively invest in domestic mining and processing to reduce its reliance on geopolitical adversaries for national security.Our podcast is produced by IEJ Media, sharing news that matters on statecraft & instruments of national power.Sponsored by BowerGroupAsia, a strategic advisory firm that specializes in the Indo-Pacific.