Asia Society Australia, in collaboration with Asia Society centers in Hong Kong, India, and Japan, hosted a panel discussion to explore how Asian countries perceive the U.S. role in Asia and what bearing the election will have on the region’s security and prosperity. Participants include Dr. Natalie Sambhi, senior policy fellow at Asia Society Australia; Hiroyuki Akita, commentator at Nikkei Inc., Japan; Debra Mao, journalist in Hong Kong; and Harsh Vardhan Shringla, former foreign secretary of India. Asia Society Australia CEO Anthony Bubalo moderates the conversation.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. 

 In 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. 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. 

As 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 enters a second decade under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. More info and other episodes: https://asiasociety.org/switzerland/podcast-state-asia

Two human rights experts and members of the Special Advisory Council for Myanmar, Yanghee Lee and Chris Sidoti, join Asia Society Executive Vice President and Asia Society Policy Institute Senior Fellow Debra Eisenman to discuss the current state of play in Myanmar, where effective control of the country lies, and prospects and recommendations for the future.Myanmar, a country of over 50 million people, which was under military rule for decades and has been embroiled in a more than 70-year civil war, was for nearly 10 years starting in 2011, undergoing a top-down democratic transition. This came to an abrupt and brutal halt in February 2021 with a military coup. The Special Advisory Council for Myanmar is an independent group of international experts working to support the peoples of Myanmar in their struggle for human rights, peace, democracy, justice, and accountability. The Council has just released a paper on the status of military control of the country.

Dr. Jenny Wang and Kanika Chadda Gupta discuss prioritizing mental health in Asian communities, navigating racial trauma, and embracing cultural identities. They explore setting boundaries in Asian cultures, addressing pressures on Asian American youth, and utilizing childhood experiences for emotional growth.

With over 970 million eligible voters, the ongoing Indian elections mark the world's largest democratic exercise. As the six-week-long election process unfolds, Farwa Aamer, director of South Asia Initiatives at the Asia Society Policy Institute, sits down with Dr. Ronojoy Sen, senior research fellow and research lead in Politics, Society, and Governance at the Institute of South Asian Studies and the South Asian Studies Program at the National University of Singapore, to discuss the key factors shaping the Indian elections, voter perceptions on the ground, and the priorities for the new government. 

As tensions simmer in its immediate environment, Japan is on high alert. In the midst ofChina'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 forengagement with China? Hear from Yuki Tatsumi, senior fellow and co-chair of the EastAsia 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 theirbilateral relations, and the delicate balance between deterrence and engagement.We also discuss the implications of Japan's changing security policies on its relationshipwith other regional players, including South Korea and India and we explore thesentiment of the Japanese public towards these shifts.Want more insights on Japan’s foreign policy? Watch Gideon Rachman, chief foreignaffairs commentator at the Financial Times in conversation with Jesper Koll at AsiaSociety Japan in this video.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.

Views of China in Central and Eastern Europe range from Hungary, eager to be Beijing’s best friend, to the adverse Baltics. Hear Warsaw-based China analyst Alicja Bachulska on the unique experiences Beijing has with the region, and how this could contribute to a more robust European China policy. 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.

Managing Director Rorry Daniels interviews Asia Society President and CEO, Dr. Kyung-wha Kang, on what has shaped her career, including her mentors and key successes. The conversation also covers how Dr. Kang's experience in national government and international institutions influences her perspective on global governance and the important role of civil society and non-profits, including the Asia Society.This episode is from Asia Inside Out, a podcast series from the Asia Society Policy Institute that takes you beyond the latest 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. Subscribe on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or wherever else podcasts are found. More info and other episodes: https://asiasociety.org/policy-institute/podcast-asia-inside-out.

Indira 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 Representatives on behalf of a brand-new political party, taking her social work from the streets to parliament.In 2007, Indira was named an Asia 21 Young Leader by the global network of Asia Society, while in 2009 her NGO PA Nepal received the Asia Society Asia 21 Public Service Award. In 2017, she was the first Nepali to feature on the BBC’s list of the 100 most influential women in the world.For more on Nepal, watch this episode of our popular series A Closer Look: a quick but deep dive into the Himalayan nation with Nepalese investor Suman Joshi, recorded in March, 2023.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.