’The Weirdo’ is a podcast for people who live up to its name. It’s a very popular weekly Chinese-language show, where younger generation Chinese living both inside China and elsewhere come together to talk about topics ranging from international relations to personal relationships, from current events to the big issues of our time.
 It’s, as the hosts say it, about ‘human survival in a complex and ever-changing world’.
 
 On this episode, we speak with Qing Wang, award-winning journalist and one of the hosts of ’The Weirdo’, about not fitting in, the courage to say no, how Europe’s image has changed among people in China – and not for the better.

Qing is one of the speakers at our flagship STATE OF ASIA conference on November 7 in Zurich. Have a look at the full line-up and find information on how to get tickets on our website.

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.

On October 20, 2024, Indonesia will inaugurate Prabowo Subianto as its new president. Ever since his election win back in February, world leaders have been courting Prabowo, meeting with him even before he has taken office. Prabowo seems to love presidenting around the world much more than current President Joko Widodo did during his ten years in office. 

If all goes well, says Dewi Fortuna Anwar, our guest on this episode, Indonesia under Prabowo could claim a much more active role on the world stage to deal with global issues like climate change and energy security. But Prabowo is also known to be temperamental and at times unpredictable, finding particular joy in sneering at Europe. 

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. 

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.

May 14, 2024 — Dr. Jenny Wang, nationally recognized psychologist and author on the intersections of mental health, Asian American identity, and racial trauma, discusses strategies for both Asian and non-Asian communities to prioritize mental health, reshape limiting narratives, and progress towards personal and collective freedom and autonomy. Kanika Chadda Gupta, seasoned CNN television journalist and podcaster, moderates the conversation. (55 min., 56 sec.)

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 of
China'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 for
engagement with China? Hear from Yuki Tatsumi, senior fellow and co-chair of the East
Asia 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 their
bilateral relations, and the delicate balance between deterrence and engagement.
We also discuss the implications of Japan's changing security policies on its relationship
with other regional players, including South Korea and India and we explore the
sentiment of the Japanese public towards these shifts.

Want more insights on Japan’s foreign policy? Watch Gideon Rachman, chief foreign
affairs commentator at the Financial Times in conversation with Jesper Koll at Asia
Society 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.