Asian Insider

Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month, The Straits Times' foreign editor Bhagyashree Garekar chats with ST’s correspondents in the Asia-Pacific, the US and Europe. They talk about life as it goes on, amid the screaming headlines and bubbling crises. In this episode, she chats with ST's China correspondent Aw Cheng Wei.  The idea of senior citizens looking for romance is no longer a stigma as older Chinese people become more affluent and seek out the better things in life. And Changpuhe Park is where they often find it. Highlights (click/tap above): 0:59 Covid-19 put a stop to a twice-weekly ritual in a public park next to the famous Tiananmen Square 3:07 The quiet but picturesque setting for the seniors romance  4:57 The idea of a complete family unit shapes expectations 6:59 Are the children ok with parents looking for romance? 9:30 Some entrepreneurial mainlanders are making money off loneliness 11:10 Is this a story where they live happily after? Read Aw Cheng Wei’s article here: https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/lonely-elderly-park-their-reservations-and-look-for-love Produced by: Bhagyashree Garekar (bhagya@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis, Hadyu Rahim and Fa’izah Sani Edited by: Hadyu Rahim and Fa’izah Sani Follow Letter From The Bureau Podcast every first Friday of the month on our Asian Insider Podcast channel here: Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7 Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8 Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/wQsB  Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/ Website:  https://www.moneyfm893.sg/ http://str.sg/stpodcasts Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg Read Bhagyashree Garekar’s articles: https://str.sg/whNo Read Aw Cheng Wei's articles: https://str.sg/wzce Read ST's Letters From The Bureau: https://str.sg/3xRd Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters --- Discover ST's special edition podcasts: Singapore's War On Covid: https://str.sg/wuJa The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia: https://str.sg/wuZ2 Stop Scams: https://str.sg/wuZB Invisible Asia: https://str.sg/wuZn --- Discover more ST podcast series: Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7 Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m #PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE Bookmark This!: https://str.sg/JWas Lunch With Sumiko: https://str.sg/J6hQ Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts! #STAsianInsiderSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Synopsis: Every fourth Friday of the month, The Straits Times' US bureau chief Nirmal Ghosh presents Asian views of the United States. In this episode on regional summitry, Nirmal Ghosh hosts Professor Simon Tay, chair of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs and non-resident Singapore Ambassador to Greece; and Thitinan Pongsuthirak, director of the Institute of Security and International Studies at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. (Headline amended to reflect Oct 28 White House statement that President Biden will attend Asean summits in Cambodia). Highlights (click/tap above): 5:24 Asean had a good run in the 1990s, even 2000s, but now we see China and the US locked in conflict and picking Asean apart.  8:25 Avoiding the Cold War mentality of a great schism is the key  11:14 There is a sense of foreboding on the direction of the US-China relationship, but the commentariat in the west is not always helpful 17:13 The Americans have also been active, choosing partners to bandwagon against China 18:50 Over the past decade divisive issues within Asean have grown - including over Myanmar and the Mekong Produced by: Nirmal Ghosh (nirmal@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis, Hadyu Rahim and Fa’izah Sani Edited by: Hadyu Rahim and Fa’izah Sani Subscribe to the Asian Insider Podcast channel and rate us on your favourite audio apps: Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7 Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8 Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/wQsB  Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/ Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg Follow Nirmal Ghosh on Twitter: https://str.sg/JD7r Read Nirmal Ghosh's stories: https://str.sg/JbxG Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters Asian Insider videos: https://str.sg/wdcC --- Discover ST's special edition podcasts: Singapore's War On Covid: https://str.sg/wuJa The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia: https://str.sg/wuZ2 Stop Scams: https://str.sg/wuZB Invisible Asia: https://str.sg/wuZn --- Discover more ST podcast series: Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7 Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m #PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE Bookmark This!: https://str.sg/JWas Lunch With Sumiko: https://str.sg/J6hQ Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts! #STAsianInsiderSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Synopsis: On the third Friday of every month, The Straits Times examines various facets of the US-China rivalry and its implications for Asia. Join Charissa Yong and Danson Cheong - ST’s US and China correspondents respectively based in Washington DC and Beijing - as they chat about the national security messaging that Washington and Beijing have been putting out recently in the US National Security Strategy and China’s 20th Party Congress. How might that affect what US-China competition looks like, going forward? Highlights (click/tap above): 0:47 The Biden administration’s National Security Strategy 3:50 Xi Jinping’s speech at the 20th Party Congress 6:12 China's drive for self-sufficiency 7:18 Prospects for US-China cooperation Produced by: Charissa Yong (charyong@sph.com.sg), Danson Cheong (dansonc@sph.com.sg), Teo Tong Kai & Eden Soh Edited by: Eden Soh Follow our Asian Insider Podcast channel Mondays to Fridays and rate us: Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7 Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8 Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/wQsB SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/ Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg Read Charissa Yong's stories: https://str.sg/3xRa Read Danson Cheong's stories: https://str.sg/3xR2 Follow Danson on Twitter: https://twitter.com/dansoncj Read ST's Power Play articles: https://str.sg/3xRE Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters --- Discover ST's special edition podcasts: Singapore's War On Covid: https://str.sg/wuJa The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia: https://str.sg/wuZ2 Stop Scams: https://str.sg/wuZB Invisible Asia: https://str.sg/wuZn --- Discover more ST podcast series: Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7 Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m #PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE Bookmark This!: https://str.sg/JWas Lunch With Sumiko: https://str.sg/J6hQ Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts! #STAsianInsiderSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Synopsis: Every second Friday of the month, join The Straits Times' associate editor Ravi Velloor, as he distills his experience from four decades of covering the continent. In this episode, he hosts Mr Drew Thompson, a former top official in the Pentagon who helped handle military to military relations with China and Taiwan. Mr Thompson, now Senior Visiting Fellow at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, discusses the state of cross-Straits relations, American posture on Taiwan and his assessment of Chinese President Xi Jinping's likely approach on Taiwan after the 20th Party Congress. Highlights (click/tap above): 1:40 Cross-Straits tensions not new, but use of force is not off the table 9:10 Why the US has not changed policy, but has changed its approach 15:18 On Nancy Pelosi's visit: 'China chose to over-react' 21:15 Why Taiwan could succeed in a conflict 28:05 Could tensions ease after Xi Jinping gets his third term? Produced by: Ravi Velloor (velloor@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis and Teo Tong Kai Edited by: Teo Tong Kai Follow Speaking Of Asia Podcast every second Friday of the month on our Asian Insider Podcast channel here: Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7 Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8 Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/wQsB Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg Ravi Velloor's columns: https://str.sg/3xRP Ravi Velloor on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RaviVelloor Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters --- Discover ST's special edition podcasts: Singapore's War On Covid: https://str.sg/wuJa The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia: https://str.sg/wuZ2 Stop Scams: https://str.sg/wuZB Invisible Asia: https://str.sg/wuZn --- Discover more ST podcast series: Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7 Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m #PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE Bookmark This!: https://str.sg/JWas Lunch With Sumiko: https://str.sg/J6hQ Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts! #STAsianInsiderSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Synopsis: Every month, The Straits Times Kuala Lumpur bureau analyses the latest issues making the headlines in Malaysia. This ST video livestream was hosted by Cheow Sue-Ann on Oct 10. In a statement just issued by the Palace, the King expresses his "disappointment at current political developments", leaving him with no choice but to assent to the Parliament's dissolution. This, so that the mandate can be returned to the people to "elect a stable government". ST's Malaysia correspondent Ram Anand shares more about this development. Read more: https://str.sg/wH2y Produced by: ST Video Edited by: ST Video and Eden Soh Follow Across The Causeway Podcast regularly here: Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7 Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8 Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/wQsB SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/ Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg Read Ram Anand's articles: https://str.sg/wzyz Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters --- Discover ST's special edition podcasts: Singapore's War On Covid: https://str.sg/wuJa The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia: https://str.sg/wuZ2 Stop Scams: https://str.sg/wuZB Invisible Asia: https://str.sg/wuZn --- Discover more ST podcast series: Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7 Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m #PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE Bookmark This!: https://str.sg/JWas Lunch With Sumiko: https://str.sg/J6hQ Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts! #STAsianInsiderSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Synopsis: Every month, The Straits Times Kuala Lumpur bureau analyses the latest issues making the headlines in Malaysia. This ST video livestream was hosted by Hairianto Diman on Oct 6. Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said on Oct 6, that he may discuss the dissolution of Parliament in his audience with Malaysia's King in the evening, but refused to be drawn into whether this would leave the scheduled presentation of next year's budget on Friday moot. ST's Malaysia bureau chief Shannon Teoh shares more about this development. Read more: https://str.sg/wHxF Produced by: ST Video Edited by: ST Video and Eden Soh Follow Across The Causeway Podcast regularly here: Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7 Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8 Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/wQsB  SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/ Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg Read Shannon Teoh's articles: https://str.sg/wzyK Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters --- Discover ST's special edition podcasts: Singapore's War On Covid: https://str.sg/wuJa The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia: https://str.sg/wuZ2 Stop Scams: https://str.sg/wuZB Invisible Asia: https://str.sg/wuZn --- Discover more ST podcast series: Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7 Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m #PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE Bookmark This!: https://str.sg/JWas Lunch With Sumiko: https://str.sg/J6hQ Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts! #STAsianInsiderSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month, The Straits Times' foreign editor Bhagyashree Garekar chats with ST’s correspondents in the Asia-Pacific, the US and Europe. They talk about life as it goes on, amid the screaming headlines and bubbling crises. In this episode, she chats with ST's Japan correspondent Walter Sim.  Ahead of, ironically, the World Horticultural Exposition in 2027, a row of 280 sakura trees in Yokohama are due to be chopped down for roads to be widened  Across Japan, trees - some of which are more than a century old - will be felled in urban areas and public parks to make way for gleaming sports complexes, glamping sites, shopping malls and office buildings - not to mention the large plots of forests that have been levelled to place solar panels. Tree huggers nationwide claim that the authorities are paying lip service to the United Nations' sustainable development goals. Highlights (click/tap above): 2:05 Growing pushback against plans across Japan to chop trees down 5:35 How Tokyo's Meiji Jingu Gaien area is in itself, a tourist attraction with its 1,000 century-old trees 7:10 How tree lovers are arguing their case 9:25 Are Japanese politicians reacting at the national level? Read Walter Sim’s article here: https://str.sg/wHYB Produced by: Bhagyashree Garekar (bhagya@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis, Hadyu Rahim & Eden Soh Edited by: Hadyu Rahim Follow Letter From The Bureau Podcast every first Friday of the month on our Asian Insider Podcast channel here: Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7 Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8 Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/wQsB SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/ Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg Read Bhagyashree Garekar’s articles: https://str.sg/whNo Read Walter Sim's articles: https://str.sg/wHY2 Read ST's Letters From The Bureau: https://str.sg/3xRd Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters --- Discover ST's special edition podcasts: Singapore's War On Covid: https://str.sg/wuJa The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia: https://str.sg/wuZ2 Stop Scams: https://str.sg/wuZB Invisible Asia: https://str.sg/wuZn --- Discover more ST podcast series: Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7 Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m #PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE Bookmark This!: https://str.sg/JWas Lunch With Sumiko: https://str.sg/J6hQ Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts! #STAsianInsiderSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Synopsis: Every fourth Friday of the month, The Straits Times' US bureau chief Nirmal Ghosh presents Asian views of the United States. The United States' Indo Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) has been welcomed in much of the region - though with some wariness over the geopolitical agenda given that China is by far, every South-east Asian country's largest trading partner. In this episode, Nirmal Ghosh hosts Dr. Pavida Pananond, Professor of International Business at Thammasat Business School, Thammasat University, in Bangkok, alongside Tan Dawn Wei, The Straits Times' Beijing-based China bureau chief. Highlights (click/tap above): 3:30 South-east Asian concerns over trade and supply chain pillars; how countries view resilience  5:54 Not all countries look at “friend shoring” the same way the US does  6:49 China firmly entrenched in region but taking anything for granted and why it's not too concerned the US' IPEF will dislodge that  9:42 Chinese concern about US "friend shoring", decoupling and accelerating self-sufficiency 13:47 Why South-east Asia still depends on external markets; IPEF is a late entrant in the theatre  Produced by: Nirmal Ghosh (nirmal@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis & Teo Tong Kai Edited by: Eden Soh Follow our Asian Insider Podcast channel: Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7 Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8 Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/wQsB SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/ Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg Follow Nirmal Ghosh on Twitter: https://str.sg/JD7r Read Nirmal Ghosh's stories: https://str.sg/JbxG Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters Asian Insider videos: https://str.sg/wdcC --- Discover ST's special edition podcasts: Singapore's War On Covid: https://str.sg/wuJa The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia: https://str.sg/wuZ2 Stop Scams: https://str.sg/wuZB Invisible Asia: https://str.sg/wuZn --- Discover more ST podcast series: Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7 Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m #PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE Bookmark This!: https://str.sg/JWas Lunch With Sumiko: https://str.sg/J6hQ Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts! #STAsianInsiderSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Synopsis: Every third Friday of the month, The Straits Times examines various facets of the US-China rivalry and its implications for Asia. Join Charissa Yong and Danson Cheong - ST’s US and China correspondents respectively based in Washington DC and Beijing. They discuss semiconductor chips and why - and how - America and China are fighting over them. What are their strategic vulnerabilities? And what is the state of play? Highlights (click/tap above): 1:01 The importance of securing chip supply chains 3:24 How the US is trying to maintain its lead and how China has adapted 7:51 Decoupling of the chip supply chain?  9:36 The rest of the world Produced by: Charissa Yong (charyong@sph.com.sg), Danson Cheong (dansonc@sph.com.sg), Eden Soh & Teo Tong Kai Edited by: Eden Soh Follow our Asian Insider Podcast channel Mondays to Fridays and rate us: Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7 Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8 Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/wQsB SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/ Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg Read Charissa Yong's stories: https://str.sg/3xRa Read Danson Cheong's stories: https://str.sg/3xR2 Follow Danson on Twitter: https://twitter.com/dansoncj Read ST's Power Play articles: https://str.sg/3xRE Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters --- Discover ST's special edition podcasts: Singapore's War On Covid: https://str.sg/wuJa The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia: https://str.sg/wuZ2 Stop Scams: https://str.sg/wuZB Invisible Asia: https://str.sg/wuZn --- Discover more ST podcast series: Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7 Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m #PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE Bookmark This!: https://str.sg/JWas Lunch With Sumiko: https://str.sg/J6hQ Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts! #STAsianInsiderSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Synopsis: Every second Friday of the month, join The Straits Times' associate editor Ravi Velloor, as he distills his experience from four decades of covering the continent. In this episode, he hosts Prof Ashutosh Varshney, Director of the Center for Contemporary South Asia and Sol Goldman Professor of International Studies and the Social Sciences at Brown University in the US. They talk about India’s democratic experience through 75 years of existence as an independent nation. They also discuss past, and recent challenges to democracy, and ask the question: Can India turn authoritarian, or worse? Highlights (click/tap above): 1:45 How appropriate is it to call India "the world’s biggest democracy"?  6:53 Caste and politics, and elite circulation 13:59 A Sri Lankan path for India? 15:45 Could India lose democracy? 21:25 Indian secularism is an indigenous concept Produced by: Ravi Velloor (velloor@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis and Teo Tong Kai Edited by: Teo Tong Kai Follow Speaking Of Asia Podcast every second Friday of the month on our Asian Insider Podcast channel here: Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7 Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8 Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/wQsB Websites: http://str.sg/stpodcasts Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg Ravi Velloor's columns: https://str.sg/3xRP Ravi Velloor on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RaviVelloor Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters --- Discover ST's special edition podcasts: Singapore's War On Covid: https://str.sg/wuJa The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia: https://str.sg/wuZ2 Stop Scams: https://str.sg/wuZB Invisible Asia: https://str.sg/wuZn --- Discover more ST podcast series: Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7 Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m #PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE Bookmark This!: https://str.sg/JWas Lunch With Sumiko: https://str.sg/J6hQ Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts! #STAsianInsiderSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.