Asia Rising

Since 2017, more than a million Uyghurs and members of other Turkic Muslim minorities have disappeared into a vast network of ‘re-education camps’ in the far west region of Xinjiang in what some experts call a systematic, government-led program of cultural genocide. Now it appears that plans have entered a new phase, as government officials now claim that all ‘trainees’ have ‘graduated’. There is mounting evidence that many Uyghurs are now being forced to work in factories within Xinjiang. Guest: Associate Professor James Leibold (Politics and Philosophy, La Trobe University)

Asia has been coping with the coronavirus in a variety of ways. Some regions, such as China, Hong Kong and South Korea, have reached a point where they are living with it. Others, such as India, Indonesia and the Philippines, are just emerging with cases, and due to low testing it’s hard to get a full picture of the situation. In this episode of Asia Rising, we will hear from three countries in lockdown. Guests: Professor Paul Yip (Centre of Suicide Research and Prevention, Hong Kong University) Sea-Young Kim (East Asia Institute, Seoul, South Korea) Dr Sandesha Rayapa (Linguistic Empowerment Cell, Jawaharlal Nehru University, India)

The South China Seas comprises a large international body of water south of Taiwan. There are island and maritime claims from a number of sovereign states in the region, and is economically important as a commercial gateway for merchant shipping. While much has been said on the arena of competition between the US and China, much less ink has been spilt on comparing the approaches of regional non-claimant states - Australia, India, South Korea and Japan - who all make the South China Seas their business. These states are often described as 'like-minded states' - are they? Guest: Dr Rebecca Strating (Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations at La Trobe University, Executive Director of La Trobe Asia) Recorded 19 March, 2020.

Since 2017, more than a million Uyghurs and members of other Turkic Muslim minorities have disappeared into a vast network of ‘re-education camps’ in the far west region of Xinjiang, China, in what some experts call a systematic, government-led program of cultural genocide. The ‘re-education' appears to be entering a new phase, as government officials now claim that all ‘trainees’ have ‘graduated’. There is mounting evidence that many Uyghurs are now being forced to work in factories that are in the supply chains of at least 83 well-known global brands in the technology, clothing and automotive sectors, including Apple, BMW, Gap, Huawei, Nike, Samsung, Sony and Volkswagen. In this La Trobe Asia webinar we will be joined panel of experts who have investigated and reported on the Uyghur forced labour. Panel: Associate Professor James Leibold (Head of Department - Politics, Media and Philosophy at La Trobe University) Vicky Xiuzhong Xu (Researcher, Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI)) Anna Fifield (Journalist for The Washington Post) Chair: Bec Strating (Executive Director, La Trobe Asia) Recorded 9th April 2020.

What started as a protest against a proposed new law, which would see people extradited from Hong Kong to mainland China to face Beijing-style justice, has now turned into a battle for the future of Hong Kong. Sophie McNeill, a Walkley award winning journalist for the ABC television program 4 corners, was on the frontlines of Hong Kong's democracy protests. Guest: Sophie McNeill (Reporter, 4 Corners, ABC) Recorded 18 February, 2020.

With the coronavirus pandemic spreading throughout the world the long-term effects are hard to project, and many are starting to question how a global event like this could alter the Asian economy and the balance of power. Guest: Professor Nick Bisley (Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, La Trobe University) Recorded 13 March, 2020

The Indo-Pacific is both a place and an idea. It is the region central to global prosperity and security. It is also a metaphor for collective action. If diplomacy fails, it will be the theatre of the first general war since 1945. But if its future can be secured, the Indo-Pacific will flourish as a shared space, the centre of gravity in a connected world. Not only is the Indo-Pacific the area where the growing China-US rivalry seems to playing out, it is also home to a host of large and middle powers. These countries have a stake in that Great Power contest, but they also have ambitions and growing economies of their own. How can other countries respond to a strong and coercive China without resorting to capitulation or conflict? Professor Rory Medcalf (Head of the National Security College at the Australian National University) is in conversation with Dr Rebecca Strating (Executive Director, La Trobe Asia) at the Melbourne launch of his new book Contest for the Indo-Pacific: Why China Won't Map the Future published by La Trobe University Press. Introduced by Penny Burtt, CEO of Asialink. Recorded at the State Library of Victoria on 5th March 2020.

For months the citizens of Hong Kong have been taking to the streets, protesting democratic deterioration and rights violations. There have been frequent clashes with police, outbreaks of violence and widespread disruption to the city. As the new year begins the movement shows little sign of relenting, and while it has had some success it would take serious changes in mainland China for broader demands to be considered. While many democracies have voiced support for the movement, even more have remained silent, wary of the damaging accusations of meddling or drawing the ire of Beijing. So what are the demands of the protest movement? What is a likely future for Hong Kong’s democratic movement, and what does it mean for both the island and mainland China? In this La Trobe Asia public event, an expert panel will consider the future and potential of Hong Kong’s democratic movement. Panel: Sophie McNeill (Reporter, 4 Corners, ABC) Dr Kevin Carrico (Senior lecturer, Chinese Studies, Monash University) Yun Jiang (co-editor of China Neican) Associate Professor James Leibold (Head of the Department of Politics, Media and Philosophy, La Trobe University) (Chair) Recorded at State Library of Victoria on 18 February 2020.

North Korea is one the world's most authoritarian and isolated countries, cut off from global trade and Western influence. Yet, its doors remain open to tourists, who the government welcomes and is keen to show the North Korea it wants them to see. Guest: James Scullin (Tour leader in North Korea, co-author: The Hotels of Pyongyang) Recorded 7 February, 2020.

Violence against women and gender activism became central issues in Indonesia during the 2019 elections. The growing importance of these issues and events is a sign of how successful they have been at rallying supporters in the digital media environment. Guest: Dr Monika Winarnita (Honorary Research Fellow, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, La Trobe University) Recorded 5 December, 2019.

The mountains of the Himalaya are instantly recognisable, and they play a critical role in Asia’s climate, hydrology, ecology, and geopolitics. Despite their regional and global importance, they face multiple, severe, and intersecting threats that do not receive the attention they deserve. Speakers: Dr Alexander E. Davis (New Generation Network Research Fellow, Politics, La Trobe University) Dr Ruth Gamble (David Myers Research Fellow, La Trobe University) Dr Gerald Roche (Research Fellow, Politics, Media and Philosophy, La Trobe University) Dr. K.R. Rama Mohan (Associate Professor, Head of Anthropology, Sikkim University) Pema Dorjee (Consulting Editor, Summit Times) Dr Uttam Lal (Assistant Professor, Department of Geography, Sikkim University) An Indian launch of the La Trobe Asia Brief Issue 3, held in partnership with the anthropology department of Sikkim University on 22 November, 2019.

Japan’s national security is rapidly changing. Asia is shifting from an era of prosperity and peace to one of contestation and rivalry between powerful leaders. North Korea has grown emboldened and appears no closer to denuclearisation than when Kim Jong Un embraced dialogue with US President, Donald Trump, in 2017. Xi Jinping’s China is more confident, assertive and nationalistic than ever, and there is fresh uncertainty about Japan’s security partner, the United States. In this challenging security environment, Japan has signalled a desire to change its foreign and defence policy to secure greater regional and global influence. What role is it seeking to play in Prime Minister Abe’s vision of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific? How will it establish and maintain space for itself in the region? What are the prospects for closer security cooperation between Australia and Japan? In conversation: - Associate Professor Tsuruoka Michito (Graduate School of Media and Governance at Keio University, formerly Senior Research Fellow at the National Institute for Defense Studies, Tokyo). - Dr Euan Graham, (Executive Director, La Trobe Asia, La Trobe University). A La Trobe Asia event supported by the Consulate General of Japan in Melbourne Recorded at State Library of Victoria on 11 November 2019.

When Tibet was invaded by China in the 1950s the Dalai Lama and many Tibetans left, finding a new home in India. Over the years this population has grown, now overseen by a Central Tibetan authority which has never been formally integrated into India. While this has allowed Tibetans to retain their culture and religion, it’s added challenges when it comes to citizenship. Guest: Associate Professor Sonika Gupta (China Studies Centre, Indian Institute of Technology Madras) Recorded 26 June, 2019.

Australian universities rely heavily on China for both students and research investment, but engagement brings considerable risk. Technology theft is common, and awareness of how research is being applied is necessary for institutional security. Guest: Alex Joske (Analyst, Australian Strategic Policy Institute) Recorded on 24 October, 2019.

The snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas are instantly recognisable, but the critical role these mountains play in Asia’s climate, hydrology, ecology and geopolitics is mostly underplayed. Despite this importance, or perhaps because of them, there are a number of threats to the environment, many of which intersect, and the Himalayas will need careful management and thoughtful intervention if they are to survive both as a natural environment and a resource. In this event, a panel of experts discuss the problems with managing the Himalayas and potential solutions. Speakers: - Dr Alexander Davis (NGN Research Fellow, La Trobe University) - Dr Ruth Gamble (Centre for the Study of the Inland, La Trobe University) - Dr Anwesha Dutta (Chr. Michelsen Institute, Bergen, Norway) - Dr Euan Graham (Executive Director, La Trobe Asia) Recorded at the launch of the third issue of the La Trobe Asia Brief on 23 October 2019 at the City Campus of La Trobe University.

The ice-capped peaks of the Himalaya are instantly recognisable and play a critical role in Asia's climate, hydrology, ecology and geopolitics. Despite this importance the mountains are also the site of international border disputes, ethnic unrest, competitive development and ongoing environmental and cultural destruction. Guest: Dr Ruth Gamble (David Myers Research Fellow, La Trobe University) Dr Alexander Davis (New Generation Network Research Fellow, La Trobe University) Recorded on 26 September, 2019.

A traditional Tibetan proverb tells that every valley has its river and every village has its own language. These languages are an important part of the Tibetan identity, and and there is much debate among the wider Tibetan diaspora as to how to teach and preserve them. Guest: Dr Tsering Shakya (Associate Professor, Research Chair in Religion and Contemporary Society in Asia, Institute for Asian Research, University of British Columbia) Recorded on 2 July, 2019.

In October 2019 the People's Republic of China celebrated its 70th anniversary with pomp, parades and pageantry. This lecture Asia examines the highs and lows, the failures and its successes of the PRC through the 27 Mao Zedong years and the 43 years since then, of Deng Xiaoping's reform-and-opening followed by Xi Jinping's New Era for "socialism with Chinese characteristics." A China Studies Research Centre / La Trobe Asia event Speakers: - Professor Baogang He (Alfred Deakin Professor and Chair in International Relations at Deakin University) - Dr Gerry Groot (Senior Lecturer in Chinese Studies in the Department of Asian Studies, University of Adelaide) - Dr Delia Lin (Senior lecturer in Chinese Studies in the Asia Institute, University of Melbourne) - Rowan Callick (Author and former China correspondent for The Australian Financial Review and The Australian)(Chair) Recorded on 1 October 2019 at the La Trobe University City Campus.

Thae Yong-ho is a former North Korean diplomat to the United Kingdom who defected to South Korea in 2016. As the highest ranking North Korean official to defect, he has a unique perspective on North Korean politics, reunification with South Korea, and the Kim regime. Guest: That Yong-Ho (North Korean Defector, former North Korean deputy ambassador to the UK). Recorded on 4 September, 2019.

The decision to defect from North Korea is not undertaken lightly, but for those in prominent positions it can be particularly fraught. The fates of Kim’s half-brother, Kim Jong Nam, and uncle, Jang Song Thaek underline the risks of disloyalty to the regime. In this special in-conversation event Thae Yong Ho, a prominent North Korean defector and former North Korean deputy ambassador to the United Kingdom, shares rare insights based on his experience and knowledge of the Kim regime. Speakers: Thae Yong Ho (North Korean Defector, former Deputy Ambassador to the United Kingdom) Dr Euan Graham (Executive Director, La Trobe Asia, La Trobe University) Dr Jay Song (Senior lecturer in Korean Studies, University of Melbourne) A La Trobe Asia event in association with the Asia Institute, University of Melbourne. Recorded on 4 September, 2019.

On 30 June Donald Trump became the first serving US President to step into North Korea. Heavy on symbolism, the meeting with Kim Jong Un suggested a renewed impetus towards easing nuclear tensions. Guest: Professor Gordon Flake (CEO,Perth USAsia Centre, University of Western Australia). Recorded on 22 September, 2019.

Australia is one of the few countries whose shores lap both the Indian and Pacific oceans, and the old adage of “where you stand depends upon where you sit” rings true. From Western Australia, the “Indo” component of the Indo-Pacific has clear geographical clarity. Western Australians look north and west to rising India and rising Indonesia. From the east coast of Australia, developments in the Pacific, including in the nearby Pacific Islands, necessarily capture strategic attention. Geography plays an important role in driving different international and strategic outlooks in Australia. With an expansive coastline, Australia’s vastly dispersed maritime approaches give rise to very different geostrategic and defence considerations. How Australia both recognises and reconciles these differences, and executes a cohesive national policy for Indo-Pacific engagement, will have a significant impact on the nation’s prosperity and security. A La Trobe Asia/Perth USAsia Centre joint event. Speakers: Professor Gordon Flake (CEO, Perth USAsia Centre, University of Western Australia) Erin Watson-Lynn (Head of Programs, Perth USAsia Centre, University of Western Australia) Dr Euan Graham (Executive Director, La Trobe Asia, La Trobe University) Recorded on 22 August, 2019.

For the past twenty years Pakistan has wrestled with terrorism. More than 60,000 Pakistanis have been killed as a result of terrorist attacks. Terrorism has caused tension with Pakistan’s neighbouring countries, with Iran, India and Afghanistan accusing Pakistan of complicity in attacks on their soil. It has also complicated Pakistan's relations with the United States, especially after the discovery that Osama bin Laden had been hiding in the country for years after 9/11. Successive governments, including the present one led by Imran Khan, have struggled to curb terrorist activity by a series of groups, despite international pressure. This La Trobe Asia event will explore the growth and persistence of terrorism in Pakistan, the impact it has had on the country, and the international response to the problem. Speakers: Associate Professor C. Christine Fair (Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University) Professor Ian Hall (International Relations and Deputy Director (Research) of Griffith Asia Institute, Griffith University) Dr Euan Graham (Executive Director - La Trobe Asia, La Trobe University) (Chair) Recorded on 15 August 2019.

India’s government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has made a controversial move to usurp power from Jammu and Kashmir, the nation’s only Muslim-majority state, Modi says the move marked "a new era" that would free the region of "terrorism and separatism". The actions sparked outcry and unrest over the divided Himalayan territory, which both India and Pakistan claim in its entirety. Guest: Associate Professor C. Christine Fair (Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University) Recorded on 15 July, 2019.

For a long time Australia has taken it for granted that America can uphold the old US-led regional order by containing China’s bid to become the region’s leading power – which would keep us safe from any major threats from China. That is no longer something that is assured. Find out more about the La Trobe Asia Brief on Australia-China relations. www.latrobe.edu.au/news/announceme…china-relations Guest: Professor Hugh White (Emeritus, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University) Recorded on 18 July, 2019.

The relationship with China is of critical importance to Australia. It is also increasingly complex, being influenced by economics, domestic factors and strategic forces. Yet it is a relationship with underlying tension. China and Australia sometimes find themselves on different sides of the table in some bilateral issues, and disagreements over foreign investment in Australia, influence, and the interests of allied countries might prevent further successful co-operation or interaction. This panel discusses the key challenges and opportunities confronting the bilateral relationship of China and Australia. Panellists: Professor Nick Bisley (Head of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, La Trobe University) Dr Dan Hu (Deputy Director, Australian Studies Centre, Beijing Foreign Studies University) Rowan Callick (Journalist, author, advisory board member of La Trobe Asia) Professor John Fitzgerald (Centre for Social Impact, Swinburne University of Technology) Dr Euan Graham (Executive Director, La Trobe Asia, La Trobe University)(Chair) The Launch of Issue 2 of the La Trobe Asia Brief: Australia-China Relations: Finding the Elusive Balance. Recorded at the State Library of Victoria on 30 July, 2019.

Australia has implemented a wide range of policies which, while not explicitly anti-China, are definitely interpreted that way. Other countries are taking notice and inspiration from such actions. Find out more about the La Trobe Asia Brief on Australia-China relations. www.latrobe.edu.au/news/announceme…china-relations Guest: Dr Dan Hu (Deputy Director, Australia Studies Centre, Beijing Foreign Studies University) Recorded on 18 July, 2019.

For decades in Australia we have assumed that America will prevent any serious emerging military threats to Australia, or defend us from them if they do, but now America's power in Asia is waning and those old assumptions are no longer valid. So what now? We have never really tried to defend ourselves independently, but now we may have no choice. Can it be done, and if so how? What do we really need to defend? What forces do we need? How much would they cost and how serious are the threats? Speakers: Professor Hugh White (Emeritus Professor of Strategic Studies, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University) Dr Euan Graham (Executive Director of La Trobe Asia) The Melbourne launch of How to Defend Australia by Hugh White, published by La Trobe University Press. Presented at the State Library of Victoria on 17 July, 2019.

In recent years, the Indian and Chinese states have become increasingly assertive in the Himalaya. Driven in part by their mutual enmity and border disputes, both states have undertaken massive infrastructure developments, enabling vast new extractive projects, and a rush of troops and tourists from the plains to the mountains. These political tensions have dangerous ecological consequences. All Himalayan states are building large dams to facilitate development. The Himalayan ice pack moderates monsoonal rains in Asia and feeds most of the region’s large rivers. This system provides 40 per cent of the world’s population with water. To make matters worse, the Himalaya is experiencing climate change at twice global averages. With these political and environmental transformations, the lives of the region’s diverse peoples, including its refugee populations, along with broader ideas of citizenship and belonging, are being changed and challenged. Speakers: Associate Professor Sonika Gupta (IIT Madras) Dr Ruth Gamble (David Myers Research Fellow, La Trobe University) Dr Alexander Davis (New Generation Network Scholar, La Trobe University) Chair: Dr Gerald Roche (Senior Research Fellow, Politics, La Trobe University) Presented at the La Trobe University City Campus on 26 June, 2019.

When talking about Chinese international politics, the loudest voices are often western ones, and the Chinese perspective is limited to official party lines. In a rare interview, Professor Zhu Feng gives his thoughts on the US/China trade war, the South China Sea, China relations with Australia, and China's activity in the South Pacific. Guest: Professor Zhu Feng (Executive Director, China Center for Collaborative Studies of the South China Sea, Nanjing University) Interviewer: Dr Euan Graham (Executive Director, La Trobe Asia) Producer: Matt Smith Recorded 23 June, 2019.

For the most part, China has seen Australia as an especially agreeable and non-troubling partner, as a predictable American security ally but with a friendly twist. This is changing, and the pressure is intensifying for Australia to rebuild its standings with Beijing. Find out more about the La Trobe Asia Brief on Australia-China relations. https://www.latrobe.edu.au/news/announcements/2019/australia-china-relations Guest: Rowan Callick (Journalist, author, advisory board member of La Trobe Asia) Follow La Trobe Asia on Twitter: www.twitter.com/latrobeasia Recorded 30 May, 2019.

Over the past decade the city of Chengdu, capital of the Sichuan province, has emerged as the most important Tibetan city in China. Various forms of financial, political, and symbolic capital have come together, converging in Chendgu, creating a centre for social mobilisation around the production of Tibetanness. Guest: Dr Gerald Roche (Senior Research Fellow, Department of Politics and Philosophy, La Trobe University) Recorded 14 June, 2019.

The collapse of Polonnaruva marked the end of the lowland kingdoms in Sri Lanka's arid north, and the end of a distinctive and successful form of hydraulic low-density urban settlement. Although historically understood as the result of Indian invasion, recent research at Anuradhapura has suggested the very economic system that enabled these kingdoms to flourish within a marginal environment, may have facilitated their collapse. Guest: Dr Keir Strickland (Archaeology, La Trobe University) Recorded 3 June, 2019.

Nusantaria – often referred to as 'Maritime Southeast Asia' – is the world's largest archipelago and has, for centuries, been a vital cultural and trading hub. These have long been primarily the domain of the Austronesian-speaking peoples and their seafaring traditions. The surrounding waters have always been uniquely important as a corridor connecting East Asia to India, the Middle East, Europe and Africa. Guest: Philip Bowring (journalist and author) Book: Empire of the Winds: The Global Role of Asia’s Great Archipelago by Philip Bowring, published by Tauris. Recorded 7 May, 2019.

Can a grand bargain be reached between the United States and China? For the past 40 years the United States dominance of East Asia remained acknowledged and relatively uncontested, but now times have changed. China is a force to be reckoned with, and current American leadership can be seen as slightly ambivalent about challenging a change in the balance of power. Guest: Professor Nick Bisley (Head of School, Humanities and Social Sciences, La Trobe University). Book: After American Primacy Imagining the Future of Australia’s Defence, published by Melbourne University Press. Recorded 26 April, 2019.

On 17 April, Indonesians headed to the polls in one of the largest democratic elections in the world. President Joko Widodo seems assured of a second term, with a quick count announcing a win by around 9-10 percentage points. In this panel discussion, three Indonesia experts will analyse the outcome of the elections, examine what went right and what went wrong for the presidential candidates and political parties, and look at the road ahead for the elected president and Indonesia itself. Panelists: Professor Vedi Hadiz (Director and Professor of Asian Studies at the Asia Institute and an Assistant Deputy Vice-Chancellor International, University of Melbourne) Dr Dirk Tomsa (Senior lecturer, Department of Politics, Media and Philosophy, La Trobe University) Dr Jemma Purdey (Research Fellow, Australia Indonesia Centre, Monash University) Chair: Dr Euan Graham (Executive Director, La Trobe Asia) Presented at the La Trobe University City Campus on 1 May, 2019.

The India/Pakistan relationship has rarely been an easy one, with the two disagreeing on everything from territory, cricket, and who is the rightful owner of the Kohinoor diamond. At times it spills into open conflict which can easily escalate, but who benefits from such a tense relationship, and should the world be concerned? Guest: Professor Ian Hall (International Relations and Deputy Director (Research) of Griffith Asia Institute) Recorded 19 March, 2019.

Indonesians head to the polls on April 17 in one of the largest democratic elections in the world. Joko Widodo will once again face Prabowo Subianto, so how have the candidates changed in that time, and how is the election shaping up? Guest: Dr Dirk Tomsa (Senior lecturer, Department of Politics, Media and Philosophy, La Trobe University) Dr Dina Afrianty (Research Fellow, La Trobe Law School) Recorded on 9th April 2019

Almost no question is of greater significance for Australia’s future than the emergence of China as an economic and military great power. Does the rise of China pose a threat to the security of Australia? If so, a threat of what kind? Speakers: Professor Hugh White (Strategic Studies at the Australian National University) Professor Clive Hamilton (Public Ethics, Charles Sturt University) Chair: Dr Rebecca Strating (Politics, Media and Philosophy at La Trobe University) Introduced by: Professor John Dewar (Vice-Chancellor, La Trobe University) Presented in association with the Ideas and Society Program at the State Library of Victoria on 6th March, 2019.

La Trobe University's incoming Chancellor explains his views on the importance of engaging Asia, and China in particular. Australia and China enjoy a strong relationship in trade and education. Does this present any conflicts with the authoritarian nature of China’s regime, and our alliance with the United States, given the growing antagonism between Washington and Beijing? Guest: John Brumby (Chancellor of La Trobe University, former Premier of Victoria, and until recently a member of the Australian board of China’s telecommunications giant Huawei) Recorded on the 19th February 2019

Australia and India are at a key moment in their relationship. Both countries will have elections this year. India is poised to become the third largest economy in the world, and there are opportunities for both countries in broader co-operation in areas such as security and research. A report released by Australia’s Ministry for Trade, Tourism and Investment judged that no single market over the next 20 years will offer more growth opportunities for Australia than India. Despite much in common there are still cool reactions in some quarters. Resistance to investment from the Indian conglomerate, Adani Group, for the proposed Carmichael coal mine, in Queensland, is the latest episode in a history of faltering engagement. How can Australia and India develop closer ties to their mutual benefit? Panelists: Professor Ian Hall (International Relations, Griffith University) Dr Ruth Gamble (David Myers Research Fellow, La Trobe University) Mr Shabbir Wahid (Director at VFS Global Services) Moderator: Ms Ali Moore (Journalist and Vice-Chancellor's Fellow, The University of Melbourne) A La Trobe Asia event in partnership with Asialink. This event was held on the 19th March 2019 at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI), Melbourne.

China’s Belt and Road strategy is acknowledged to be the most ambitious geopolitical initiative of the age. Covering almost seventy countries by land and sea, It symbolises a new phase in China’s ambitions as a superpower: to remake the world economy and crown Beijing as the new centre of capitalism and globalisation. Guest: Bruno Maçães (Senior advisor at Flint Global and a senior fellow at Renmin University in China).

The global geopolitical landscape is shifting towards Asia. It can be seen in China’s bold infrastructure project reopening the historic Silk Road and in the maritime success of port cities like Shanghai, Hong Kong and Singapore. Asia is rising but so are its connections to Central Asia, Turkey and Europe. Perhaps the best word to capture the emerging global order is 'Eurasian'. At the Melbourne launch of his new book The Dawn of Eurasia, Bruno Maçães discusses the increasing strategic significance of Eurasia, the dominance of China, Russia and the EU, and how the United States is redefining its place in between. Bruno was in conversation with Dr Euan Graham, Executive Director of La Trobe Asia. His visit was supported by Adelaide Writer’s Week. It was held at the State Library of Victoria on 7th March, 2019.

A second summit between the United States and North Korea has been cut short, with Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un walking away from the table suddenly with empty hands. Is denuclearisation of North Korea realistic, and what does it mean for regional stability as a whole? Guest: Dr Euan Graham (Executive Director, La Trobe Asia)

The Kingdom of Bhutan, on the eastern edge of the Himalayas, is a country rarely visited by tourists. Entry is by application and extremely limited, assuring that only a select number of most dedicated tourists meet the criteria. Guest: Paul Strickland (Program Director and Lecturer in Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management in the La Trobe Business School).

In the Chinese region of Xinjiang, tens of thousands of ethnic Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities have been detained inside enormous extrajudicial ‘re-education camps’. China faces mounting pressure from international human rights groups, governments, and academics to end these practices, but will anything help the Uyghurs? Guests: Nury Turkel (Uyghur Human Rights Project) Associate Professor James Leibold (Politics and Philosophy, La Trobe University)

The South China Seas is a region in hot contestation, and is important to many surrounding countries in terms of territory, resources and trade routes. Who controls the South China Seas? Spoiler alert… it’s probably China. Guests: Professor Nick Bisley (Head of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, La Trobe University) Dr Rebecca Strating (Lecturer in Politics and International Relations, La Trobe University)

China and India share a 4000km long border, and it’s been a relationship that has had its tense moments. This situation is made all the more complicated by the Brahmaputra river - rivers recognise no borders, and its resources are always in high demand. Guest: Dr Ruth Gamble (David Myers Research Fellow, La Trobe University)

For most defectors the decision to leave North Korea is never an easy one, and there are major difficulties in addressing the refugee crisis. Those crossing into China risk arrest and deportation, and the safety of those left behind is often in question. Hyeonseo Lee defected from North Korea in 1997, and has since become an activist for human rights. Her memoir, The Girl with Seven Names, is a New York Times best seller. Guest: Hyeonseo Lee

When Narendra Modi and the BJP won the 2014 election in India they did so under the slogan 'Achhe din aane waale hain' - Good days are coming. With an impending election, we give Modi's progress a report card. Have good days come to India? Guest: Emeritus Professor Robin Jeffrey (Politics, La Trobe University)