Why Should We Care About the Indo-Pacific?

In this episode, acclaimed Filipino filmmaker Baby Ruth Villarama joins Ray Powell and Jim Carouso to discuss her documentary, "Food Delivery: Fresh from the West Philippine Sea"—a film Beijing tried repeatedly to block inside the Philippines and internationally. Villarama shares her perspective on the struggle of Filipino fisherfolk and defenders facing intimidation on the region’s contested wate...

Veteran journalist Eric Olander, editor-in-chief of the China Global South Project, joins hosts Ray Powell and Jim Carouso to unpack how China’s economic rise is remaking alliances and perceptions throughout the Global South, and assesses the real stakes for prosperity and stability as competition intensifies. China is setting new international standards: As U.S. influence recedes, China’s growing...

North Korean defector and human rights advocate Timothy Cho joins hosts Ray Powell and Jim Carouso for a deeply personal account of his life in and escape from North Korea. He recounts his childhood poverty, four imprisonments, harrowing escape, and ultimate rescue that finally brought him to freedom. His story reveals North Korea's total information control, systemic persecution, and brutal deten...

In this compelling episode, hosts Ray Powell and Jim Carouso interview Shannon Brandao – attorney, Mandarin speaker, and founder of the China Boss Substack – to explore China's expanding influence even as America appears to turn inward. Broadcasting from Europe, Brandao delivers her unique insights on Chinese Communist Party strategy, economic challenges, and geopolitical ambitions. Brandao emphas...

In this special, in-person episode, host Ray Powell sits down with James Minnich , professor at the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies and editor of the Center’s new book Edge of Competition: Disruption, Division, and Competition in the Indo-Pacific . Recorded in APCSS’ studios in Hawaii, they dive deep into the region's most pressing geopolitical challenges, exploring how d...

In this thought-provoking episode, we're joined by renowned Silicon Valley entrepreneur and defense reform advocate Steve Blank in a sweeping conversation on Pentagon innovation, the U.S.-China technological rivalry, and what it takes for democracies to outpace authoritarian competitors. Key Highlights & Takeaways: Diagnosing U.S. Innovation Stagnation: Steve dissects why the once dominant U.S...

In this critical episode, host Jim Carouso welcomes two leading experts on the Australia-UK-US (AUKUS) agreement to examine whether the landmark trilateral security partnership can deliver on its promises four years after its launch. Charlie Edel, inaugural Australia Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), and Abe Denmark, senior fellow at CSIS and a former DOD official...

In the milestone 100th episode of "Why Should We Care About the Indo-Pacific?", co-hosts Ray Powell and Jim Carouso celebrate their podcast’s century mark with a fast-paced, insightful, and at times humorous look back at some of their most memorable moments, guests, and listener interactions. Without a guest this week, Ray and Jim turn the spotlight on themselves, their audience, their incredible...

In this compelling episode, co-hosts Ray Powell and Jim Carouso welcome lead global security analyst for Washington Post Intelligence Josh Rogin , who explores the escalating tensions and complexities behind the dramatic recent breakdown in U.S.-India relations. The episode zeroes in on the significant diplomatic and very personal rift that has emerged between the two leaders, Donald Trump and Nar...

In this deep-dive episode, Ray Powell and Jim Carouso are joined by Matthew Zolnowski , former Special Advisor at the U.S. Department of Defense and President of Greyfriars LLC, for an expert exploration of critical minerals and rare earth elements in the context of U.S.-China strategic competition. As tensions escalate in the Indo-Pacific, they examine why these "rocks" are essential building blo...

In this urgent bonus episode, Ray Powell and Jim Carouso return to discuss the sharp re-escalation at Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea following the highly publicized Chinese naval collision at Scarborough Shoal on August 11, 2025. Drawing from satellite imagery, open-source information, and media reports, they analyze China’s deployment of an armed maritime “swarm” near the BRP Sierra M...

In this must-listen episode, hosts Ray Powell and Jim Carouso sit down with Arthur Sinodinos , Australia’s former Ambassador to the United States and key figure in the Australia-United Kingdom-United States (AUKUS) security pact, to get the exclusive inside story on how this landmark agreement came to be, how they dealt with fallout from capitals in China, France, and Southeast Asia, and why this...

In this episode, hosts Ray Powell and James Carouso interview Indonesian international law scholar Aristyo Darmawan about President Prabowo Subianto's transformative foreign policy during his first six months in office. The discussion reveals a dramatic shift in Indonesia's strategic positioning as the nation balances between major powers while pursuing ambitious economic goals. Darmawan highlight...

In this special, emergency episode, we dive into the dramatic South China Sea incident this week near Scarborough Shoal. Fresh from Manila, co-host Ray Powell—drawing on his expertise as the Director of the SeaLight maritime transparency organization—takes the "guest" seat to unpack the events with co-host Jim Carouso. The discussion highlights the escalating China-Philippines tensions, with its i...

In this episode, hosts Ray Powell and James Carouso dive deep into former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's dramatic 2016 pivot from the US to China. Joined by authors Marites Vitug and Camille Elemia, they discuss their book Unrequited Love: Duterte's China Embrace . The conversation kicks off with why this "love affair" matters globally–how it reshaped South China Sea geopolitics, tested in...

In a groundbreaking episode, Ray and Jim welcome their first-ever head of state as a guest— President Surangel Whipps Jr. , the 10th President of the Republic of Palau . This historic interview marks a milestone for the podcast, which has previously featured cabinet ministers, four-star officers, ambassadors, and parliamentarians across 90+ episodes. President Whipps delivered a powerful message a...

In this episode, hosts Ray Powell and Jim Carouso are joined by Kharis Templeman , a research fellow at the Hoover Institution, to analyze the fallout from Taiwan's recent failed recall election attempt and what it means for the island's future. The discussion centers on the July 26 recall votes, where an attempt to remove 24 opposition Kuomintang (KMT) lawmakers from office was rejected by voters...

In this episode, hosts Ray Powell and Jim Carouso welcome back Zack Cooper, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and professor at Princeton University, to examine how recent U.S. military strikes in Iran impact deterrence dynamics across the Indo-Pacific region. Iran Strikes and China Deterrence Cooper argues that U.S. strikes against Iran may actually strengthen deterrence against C...

In this episode, we interview Andrew Phelan, a China specialist with decades of business experience, to analyze Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's week-long diplomatic visit to China. The discussion examines critical questions about Australia's economic dependence on China, security vulnerabilities, and the broader implications for Indo-Pacific stability. Phelan asserts that no country h...

In a very special episode, Philippine Secretary of National Defense Gilbert "Gibo" Teodoro sat down with co-host Ray Powell for an exclusive in-person interview at his Manila office, delivering insights into the Philippines' defense strategy to counter China's aggression in the West Philippine Sea. Secretary Teodoro emphasized that defending the Philippines matters globally because maritime violat...

In Ep. 87, hosts Ray Powell and Jim Carouso speak with Ambassador Pou Sothirak, a former Cambodian diplomat and current distinguished advisor to the Cambodian Center for Regional Studies, to unpack the complex issues facing Cambodia today. The discussion centers on the renewed border conflict with Thailand, the controversy surrounding the Ream Naval Base, and Cambodia's strategic navigation of its...

Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist Ian Urbina returns to “Why Should We Care About the Indo-Pacific” to preview Season 2 of his acclaimed Outlaw Ocean podcast , exposing the hidden world of human rights and environmental abuses on the high seas—from brutal labor conditions on distant-water fishing vessels to coercive processing centers in China, India, and beyond. Urbina, founder and...

In this episode, hosts Ray Powell and Jim Carouso interview Professor Gordon Flake , CEO of the Perth USAsia Centre , about South Korea's political transformation following six months of unprecedented turmoil. The discussion centers on South Korea's remarkable democratic resilience after former President Yoon Suk-yeol's shocking martial law declaration in December 2024, which triggered his impeach...

In this episode, hosts Ray Powell and Jim Carouso explore the critical concept of techno-nationalism with expert Alex Capri , author of "Techno-Nationalism: How It's Reshaping Trade, Geopolitics and Society." Techno-nationalism represents the intersection of technology, national security, and economic power in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Capri explains how nation-states are leveraging 12 key...

Hosts Ray Powell and Jim Carouso interview Congressman Don Bacon (R-NE), a retired Air Force Brigadier General with 29 years of military service. Rep. Bacon serves on the House Armed Services Committee and brings unique insights from both military leadership and congressional oversight. Congressman Bacon is concerned that America is spending just 2.9% of GDP on defense—the lowest level since 1940,...