The Asia Chessboard

This week Mike joins Mira Rapp-Hooper, a political scientist and expert on the Indo-Pacific who formerly served as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for East Asia and Oceania at the National Security Council, White House. From 2021-2023 she served as Director for Indo-Pacific Strategy at the National Security Council, where she was responsible for the White House’s Indo-Pacific Strategy.

This week Mike joins Victor Cha, President OF Geopolitics andForeign Policy Department and Korea Chair at CSIS. From 2021 to 2025, he was appointedby Joseph R. Biden administration to serve on the Defense Policy Board in anadvisory role to the secretary of defense. From 2004 to 2007, he served on theNational Security Council (NSC) and was responsible for Japan, Korea,Australia/New Zealand, and Pacific Island nations. They discuss South Korea'srecently failed coup in 2024, and the future of South Korean internationalrelations in the region. 

Nobukatsu Kanehara, a professor at Doshisha University and former aide to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, dives into Japan's evolving foreign policy and its implications for the region. He discusses the historical shifts driven by leaders like Abe and the U.S.-Japan alliance. Kanehara critiques unconventional foreign policy ideas, such as an 'Asian NATO,' while analyzing Japan's strategic role amid the Ukraine crisis and potential tensions with Taiwan. His insights highlight Japan's growing significance in a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape.

Mike hosts Sue-Lin Wong, the Economist’s Southeast Asia correspondent. She was formerly a China correspondent for The Economist and host of The Prince, a multiple award-winning Economist podcast series about Xi Jinping. They discuss Southeast Asia and her new podcast Scam Inc.

In a compelling discussion, Tarun Chhabra, former National Security Council Coordinator for Technology and National Security, shares insights on U.S.-China technology competition. He delves into America's role in shaping global tech policies, particularly around semiconductors and the balancing act between national security and economic interests. Chhabra also highlights the importance of international alliances in countering Chinese tech influence and emphasizes the need for strategic adaptability as technology and geopolitical landscapes evolve.

Michèle Flournoy, Co-Founder of WestExec Advisors and former Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, shares her insights into national security and defense strategy. She discusses the ongoing U.S.-China competition in the Indo-Pacific, stressing the role of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company and reputational deterrence. Flournoy highlights the need for enhanced military capabilities and strategic dialogues among allies, emphasizing collaboration with Japan and Australia. The conversation touches on agility and unity in responding to geopolitical challenges, including tensions in Sri Lanka.

Bonnie Glaser, Managing Director for the German Marshall Fund’s Indo-Pacific program and co-author of a pivotal book on U.S.-Taiwan relations, discusses the escalating tensions surrounding Taiwan. She highlights the shrinking space for dialogue with China and the evolving rhetoric from leaders like Xi Jinping. Glaser dives into Taiwan's defense strategy amidst dwindling trust in U.S. support and examines how recent global events have shifted transatlantic dynamics regarding Taiwan's security challenges. A thought-provoking analysis of the region’s future!

Nadia Schadlow, former U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategy and current Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute, dives into the intricacies of U.S. national security strategies. She discusses the evolving balance of power post-Cold War, particularly in relation to China and Russia, and emphasizes the shift towards 'overmatch' military strategies. The complexities of aligning political narratives with strategic realities are highlighted, along with the importance of adapting alliances in a rapidly changing global landscape.

This week Mike hosts Richard Heydarian, Senior Lecturer at the University of the Philippines Asian Center and author of, among others, Asia’s New Battlefield (2015, Bloomsbury) & The Indo-Pacific: Trump, China & The New Struggle for Global Mastery (2019, Palgrave), to discuss the Philippines' foreign policy, relationships, and strategy in the Indo-Pacific. 

Mike hosts Jina Kim, Dean of Language and Diplomacy Division at the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, to discuss South Korea's foreign policy and strategy in the Indo-Pacific.