Asia Rising

In the course of a year Hong Kong has been transformed by a new security law. Drafted by Beijing and aimed at protestors, it has led to mass arrests of activists, lawyers and law makers. Political participation in Hong Kong is now more dangerous than ever, and with rights and freedoms diminishing under Beijing’s vast national security apparatus, is the democratic dream of Hong Kong over? Guest: An...

Cultural and environmental conservation can be motivated by a number of factors, such as desire for resources, tourism, or perhaps just an appreciation for the environment. Perhaps there is no greater motivation for conservation in Asia than that of sacred geographies. Guest: Dr Ruth Gamble (Environmental historian and lecturer, Department of Archaeology and History, La Trobe University) Recorded...

Sexual misconduct by military peacekeepers and abuses perpetrated by civilian peacekeepers and non-UN civilian interveners is a serious problem to local peoples and humanitarian efforts. It affects the capacity of the international community to achieve its goals related to stability and peacebuilding, and its legitimacy in the eyes of local and global populations. In her new book 'Violating Peace:...

The election of Joe Biden to serve as the 46th President of the United States comes at a critical moment of the country’s relationship with Asia. A global pandemic, frayed diplomatic relations and struggling economies make the next four years internationally significant, and Biden is assumed to reset many relationships and to bring an old-school sensibility back to diplomacy His actions will have...

In 2020, Australia and China relations appeared to hit new lows. Diplomatic tensions flared over a range of issues, including Australia’s unilateral calls for an inquiry into the origins of the coronavirus, Beijing’s trade strikes on key industries, and raids on journalists. In Australia, concerns about foreign interference and human rights violations have encouraged an increasingly hardline anti-...

Over the past five years India and Australia’s bilateral relations appear to be deepening. Both states agree that the future security challenges are likely to occur in the world’s oceans, and other common domains such as space. As a response to rising regional contestation, India and Australia have both expanded defence cooperation activities, including through the development of multiparty initia...

India has a long and unique history with a rich cultural heritage, but in the modern race for progress it can be difficult to conserve the past. The country boasts 38 recognised UNESCO world heritage sites with many more under consideration, ranging from natural wonders like the Himalayan National Park, to the cultural treasures such as the Agra Fort, the Taj Mahal, and the Historic City of Ahmeda...

The COVID 19 pandemic has forced educational institutions across the globe to rapidly embrace online learning. This has particular implications for teachers and students with disabilities. Before the pandemic, access to education in Indonesia was already a significant challenge for its nearly 27 million people with disabilities. At this online event we bring together experiences from Australia and...

From a riverside shack to the presidential palace, Joko Widodo surged to the top of Indonesian politics on a wave of hope for change. However, six years into his presidency, he is struggling to deliver the reforms that Indonesia desperately needs. Despite promising to build Indonesia into an Asian powerhouse, Jokowi, as he is known, has been challenged by regular crisis, from COVID-19 to an Islami...

The 2020 United States presidential election is weeks away, and the stakes have never been higher. A global pandemic, frayed diplomatic relations and struggling economies make the outcome of the race between incumbent Republican President Donald Trump and stalwart democratic contender Joe Biden internationally significant. Over recent years, China has increasingly asserted its stake in the South C...

The retirement of Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe was met with concern and dismay in Japan. The long-serving leader had been in office since 2012, retained a strong popularity, and was well respected as a thoughtful and progressive leader in the international arena. Following in his footsteps is Yoshihide Suga, a public face of the Abe administration who emerged as a leading favourite. The 71 y...

In its many successes and struggles, the Asian American community can be seen as a microcosm of the nation. Despite often being treated as a monolithic community there is great diversity amongst the groups, and all are impacted by varying degrees to the current coronavirus emergency, the political climate and the inflammatory rhetoric directed at Asian nations. As the United States approaches a di...

Despite their diverse histories and cultures, common tensions characterize debates about identity and nationhood across the Asia-Pacific. Homogenous visions of identity and nationhood sit uneasily alongside notions of citizenship that embrace cultural and ethnic diversity. In many societies, rising inequality feeds fear and resentment of immigrants, and legacies or memories of empire and coloniali...

The covid-19 pandemic sweeping across Asia and the world has highlighted the strengths and limitations in the delivery of public health services within different states. While some states like Vietnam and South Korea are praised for their successful responses to the global crisis, the public health systems in other countries have seemingly struggled to manage surges in cases. A well-developed and...

Singapore has long been a global hub of business, uniquely positioned in the world of economics at a crossroads serving multiple time zones and business interests. While the highly developed city-state is home to the world’s second busiest port, it has no natural resources and relies largely on international trade for its economic prosperity. How does a new reality of limited travel and pandemic r...

The Chinese Government is building the world’s largest police-run DNA database, profiling tens of millions of people across the country who have no history of serious criminal activity. Those individuals (including preschool-age children) have no control over how their samples are collected, stored and used. When combined with other surveillance tools it will increase the power of the Chinese stat...

The United States’ approach to Taiwan has long been defined by ‘strategic ambiguity’. While it has never directly challenged China’s claim over the island, the U.S. has also never shied away from selling weapons to Taipei or making use of the Taiwan Strait for naval exercises. The Trump administration has arguably provided more tangible and symbolic support for Taiwan than any previous U.S. presid...

The election of Donald Trump was met with mixed emotions across Asia, and in the years since his presidency has had a marked effect on the stability of the region. Countries are adjusting and re-evaluating their perspectives on regional security, alliances are being tested, and many countries are facing the reality of an Asia without a United States presence. A live recording of the Asia Rising po...

The election of Donald Trump heralded a new era in the relationship between the United States and India. For India, America has become arguably its most important partner, and the new president represented a volatile unknown. In subsequent years, policy-makers have tried to limit disruption and move the India-U.S. relationship forward. While the strategic side of the relationship has not been with...

Donald J. Trump’s win in the 2016 US elections was met with mixed emotions across Asia. Many in the region greeted the election with cautious optimism. They assumed that Washington would take a more pragmatic line, and that a man who prided himself on his business acumen would present new opportunities in trade and resource relations. But the Trump presidency has proven to be unpredictable. His re...

Over the past decade the hotly disputed South China Sea has become increasingly used as example of the rising strategic competition between the People’s Republic of China and the United States. Overlapping territory claims and maritime jurisdiction, strategic control over maritime domain, and differences in legal interpretations of freedom of navigation combine in a broader contest that affects mu...

The United States and North Korea both share a desire to achieve a breakthrough in their relationship, but to very different ends. At one time there was the hope that strongman personalities of Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un could push their way through diplomatic roadblocks, but with a year since their last significant meeting interaction has stalled. Guest: Sea Young Kim, (Research Associate and P...

This La Trobe Asia event launches the newly released Australian Journal of International Affairs special issue “Critical Analyses in Australian Foreign, Defence and Strategic Policy”, a collection of essays by early- to mid-career Australian women researchers that arose as a response to ongoing issues around women’s visibility and representation in Australian International Affairs. Session One:vWo...

Countries in Asia are dealing with the Covid-19 crisis differently, and Vietnam has been widely praised in its apparent success. But is this success down to luck, or tight government control? Guest: Bill Hayton (Author of Vietnam: Rising Dragon (2010), his forthcoming book is The Invention of China (2020).

While much of the world is still in the grips of a tumultuous pandemic, areas of Asia are in recovery and planning for the year ahead, albeit at a cautious pace. China, Hong Kong, South Korea and Australia are executing roadmaps for economic recovery, and there are signs that some countries will benefit at the expense of distracted western democracies. How does the next year look for the region? W...