China in the World

Yohanes Sulaiman, an associate professor focused on Indonesian politics and China–Indonesia relations, and Natalie Sambhi, a specialist in Southeast Asian security, explore Indonesia's complex ties with China. They discuss Indonesia's economic dependence on trade with China while facing pressures on local businesses. The conversation highlights maritime tensions due to territorial claims and the challenge of evacuating Indonesian workers in Taiwan amid rising regional conflicts. Their insights shed light on Indonesia's strategic balancing act in a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape.

Caught between economic opportunity and security imperatives, South Korea finds itself navigating one of Asia's most complex relationships with China. Seoul has constantly sought to calibrate the management of economic gains and security concerns, but growing U.S.-China competition complicates its options. South Korea must consider its trade and investment partnership with China, political pressure from Beijing, stability on the Korean Peninsula, regional tensions, alliance commitments with Washington, and the demands of its population. In this episode, host Ian Chong and his guest speakers from Korea explore the intricate dance of diplomacy, economics, politics, and strategy that defines Korea-China relations today. Sung Eun Kim is Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science and International Relations at Korea University. She is also a visiting scholar at the Harvard-Yenching Institute, 2024-25. Injoo Sohn is Professor from the Department of Political Science and International Relations at Seoul National University (SNU). He is also the Deputy Director of the SNU Institute of Future Strategy and the Chair of the institute’s Global Korea Cluster.

Malaysia has developed a reputation for hewing closely with the PRC on economic matters in recent years. Yet, it had been a big beneficiary of the de-risking and China plus One strategies undertaken by various companies from earlier rounds of the U.S.-PRC trade war by being able to tap on U.S. capital and access the U.S. market. Malaysia also ongoing territorial disputes with the PRC in the South China Sea and concerns about growing PRC domestic political influence. How does Malaysia seek to adjust among these concerns in an increasingly contested environment characterized?Join host Ian Chong as he explores these issues with two experts from Malaysia. Khoo Ying Hooi is Associate Professor of International Relations at Universiti Malaya, with research expertise in human rights, democratization, and civil society in Southeast Asia. She engages in regional and international collaborations that connect academic research with policy and advocacy, and contributes to dialogues on rights and Southeast Asia’s role in broader global shifts. Shahriman Lockman is Director (Special Projects) at the Institute of Strategic and International Studies, Malaysia. His research includes Malaysian foreign and defense policies, Southeast Asian maritime security affairs, Malaysia-China relations, and South China Sea issues. He manages ISIS Malaysia’s China Engagement Initiative, which promotes Malaysia-China Track-Two dialogues.

Vietnam has long had to carefully calibrate its relationship with, China, its giant neighbor to the north. The two sides have a history of cultural and economic exchange as well as invasion and occupation going back to antiquity. Today, the People’s Republic of China and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam have similar political systems and successful economies. Hanoi nonetheless seeks to break out of a dependency relationship with Beijing, maintain its territorial claims, and assert its autonomy even as it looks to deepen economic cooperation. Joining Carnegie China non-resident scholar Ian Chong to discuss these issues are Huong Le Thu, deputy director of the Asia Program at the International Crisis Group and Chair of Australia-Vietnam Policy Institute Advisory Board, and Nguyễn Khác Giang is visiting scholar with the Vietnam Studies Programme at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies - Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore and previously head of the Political Research Unit at the Vietnam Institute for Economic and Policy Research in Hanoi.

In this episode, Ian Chong, a nonresident scholar with Carnegie China, discusses how Japan seeks to navigate its complex economic and security ties with the People’s Republic of China. Japan’s economy has become deeply integrated with that of the PRC over decades of globalization and cooperation remains important, but mounting concerns about coercion, pressure, and tension over regional territorial disputes are currently driving a more cautious Japanese approach.Joining Ian are two specialists on Japan. Akira Igata is a project lecturer at the Economic Security Intelligence Lab, Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology at the University of Tokyo. Ayumi Teraoka is a fellow with the Columbia-Harvard China and the World Program and an incoming assistant professor at the Brandeis University.

Moe Thuzar, a senior fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, and Shona Loong, a political geography expert at the University of Zurich, dive into China’s intricate role in Myanmar amidst ongoing civil strife. They discuss China's strategic interests, from energy needs to infrastructure investments tied to the Belt and Road Initiative. The conversation uncovers China's ambivalent support for different factions in the conflict and how issues like cybercrime and regional security complicate its involvement, revealing a complex web of interests and challenges.

In this discussion, Ngeow Chow Bing, a nonresident scholar at Carnegie China, and Muhammad Habib from CSIS Indonesia dive into the Belt and Road Initiative's transformative impact on Southeast Asia. They explore how the BRI affects perceptions of China, highlighting its economic and political implications. The guests examine key infrastructure projects, investment dynamics, and the varying responses from countries like Indonesia and Malaysia. They also address public attitudes shaped by historical relationships and environmental concerns, offering a nuanced view of regional geopolitics.

Sutawan Chanprasert, founder of DigitalReach, and Ibrahim Suffian, director of Merdeka Center, dive into Southeast Asia's rising disinformation challenges. They explore how misinformation—especially from China—manipulates political narratives and shapes public opinion. The conversation highlights the need for robust media literacy and fact-checking mechanisms. They also discuss Malaysia's nuanced diplomatic relationship with China amidst ongoing maritime tensions, and emphasize the essential role of collaboration among civil society to combat digital information warfare.

In a dynamic discussion, Ratih Kabinawa, an adjunct research fellow specializing in Taiwan's international relations, and Julio S. Amador III, a national security expert, delve into the intricate ties between Southeast Asia and Taiwan. They explore how tensions in the Taiwan Strait impact ASEAN countries and what implications arise from regional military exercises. Insightfully, they address Indonesia's protective strategies for its nationals in Taiwan and the collaboration needed among Southeast Asian nations to tackle humanitarian challenges during crises.

China in the World is back with a special series of five episodes focusing on Southeast Asian perspectives on China.In the first episode, Ian Chong, a nonresident scholar at Carnegie China, discusses the South China Sea with Charmaine Willoughby, also a nonresident scholar at Carnegie China who focuses on alliances, maritime security, and security cooperation; and Chanintira "Neen" na Thalang, an associate professor at the Faculty of Political Science, Thammasat University in Bangkok, Thailand, whose research interests include Thai foreign policy, ethnic conflicts and regional security in Southeast Asia. The three scholars share their insights on the role China is playing in the South China Sea, and the wider implications of the ongoing disputes and their trajectories for Southeast Asia and beyond.