In this week's show, we speak with Justice Michael Kirby, the Chair of the United Nations Inquiry on human rights in the DPRK, about the recent U.N. Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the plight of North Korea's citizens.

Human Rights in North Korea and China's Island Building

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In this episode, we focus on the Indian state of Bihar. Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar Sushil Modi – a key leader in the BJP – and Sanjay Kumar, Principal Secretary of Health for Bihar – the state’s head technocrat in the health field – sat down with Richard Rossow, holder of the CSIS Wadhwani Chair in U.S.-India Policy Studies, to discuss Bihar’s development progress, future priorities, and opportunities for engagement with the United States to benefit Biharis. Hosted by Liza Keller. Audio edited by Ribka Gemilangsari. Written and produced by Jeffrey Bean. Visit CSIS’s Engaging India’s States site. Read Dr. Kartikeya Singh’s piece, Bihar Political Shakeup is a Win for BJP & JDU, CogitAsia. Sign up for the India’s States Weekly newsletter. Video on Demand for the CSIS Global Health Program’s event “Innovation, Partnership, and Self-Reliance: Health Policy Lessons from India’s Bihar State.”

Building Bihar

In this episode, we discuss energy cooperation in the U.S.-India relationship. Achieving two diverging goals for energy engagement in the relationship – deepening and broadening renewables cooperation while India is importing U.S. oil and gas – will likely require a balancing act. Joining the pod from our Wadhwani Chair in U.S.-India Policy Studies team to explain the progress in energy cooperation and coming opportunities as well as hurdles are Raymond Vickery and Dr. Kartikeya Singh. Ray and Kartikeya explain how the energy landscape in the relationship has changed, describe the Trump administration’s geopolitical challenge in addressing India’s significant imports of Iranian oil, examine the expansion in sub-national cooperation between U.S. and Indian states, and analyze the legacy of the U.S.-India Civil Nuclear Agreement. Aman Thakker, research associate with the Wadhwani Chair, recently sat down with Ray and Kartikeya to get their insights. Hosted by Liza Keller. Audio edited by Ribka Gemilangsari. Written by Jeffrey Bean and Aman Thakker. Produced by Jeffrey Bean. To learn more: See the recent CSIS policy brief on Key Energy Access needs in India by Dr. Kartikeya Singh, here. Read an op-ed summarizing his recent remarks at the World Energy Policy Summit by Raymond Vickery, here.

Balancing U.S.-India Energy Ties

In this episode, we discuss the current state of China’s financial system. China’s credit sector has expanded dramatically over the course of China’s unparalleled economic rise, yet now faces key problems that may impact overall economic stability. The authors of a new report from CSIS and the Rhodium Group, Logan Wright and Daniel Rosen, join the podcast to talk about their fresh analysis of China’s financial situation and explain the methodology behind their research. They also touch on the challenges to Beijing in moving forward with financial reforms while attempting to maintain stability in China’s credit system and explain what this potential area of weakness in China’s economy means for U.S. policy.    Logan and Dan recently caught up with CSIS Freeman Chair in China Studies Deputy Director Dr. Scott Kennedy to share these details and more on Credit and Credibility: Risks to China’s Economic Resilience. Hosted by Liza Keller. Audio edited by Ribka Gemilangsari. Written and produced by Jeffrey Bean. To learn more: Read Logan Wright and Daniel Rosen’s report Credit and Credibility: Risks to China’s Economic Resilience. Watch the public event and presentation video on demand here.   Review Logan Wright and Daniel Rosen’s commentary essay here. See Daniel Rosen and Bei Bei Bao’s report Broken Abacus? A More Accurate Gauge of China’s Economy.

China’s Credit & Credibility

In this episode, we discuss conflict resolution and development in the northeast Indian state of Nagaland. The long-running insurgency in Nagaland looks to be drawing to a close following conclusion of a framework for a peace agreement in 2015 between the government of India and the Naga rebels, but a final peace deal is still pending. For Nagaland's state government, the challenge for the future is solidifying good governance that will translate to development. Joining the pod to provide an update on the peace process, state politics, and efforts to increase infrastructure and investment in Nagaland is Mr. Abu Metha. Mr. Metha is a journalist and political organizer who serves as the General Secretary of the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party in Nagaland. He recently sat down with CSIS Wadhwani Chair Research Associate Aman Thakker to share his insights on the current status of Nagaland. Audio edited by Ribka Gemilangsari. Written by Jeffrey Bean and Aman Thakker.  Produced by Jeffrey Bean. To learn more: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech in 2015 on the historic framework agreement. Dialogues across Fault Lines of Territory and Peoples: Bridging State, Nation and Ethnicity in North East South Asia Forum for Human Rights & Heinrich Böll Foundation, 2016. The Naga Peace Accord: Why Now? Dr. Namrata Goswami, Institute for Defence Studies & Analyses, August 2015.

Spotlight on Nagaland Post-Insurgency

In this episode, we review the Asia-related sections of the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, and explore Congress’s role in framing U.S. policy toward Asia. Returning to the podcast to unpack these topics are Dr. Michael Green, Japan Chair and Senior Vice President for Asia at CSIS, and Gregory Poling, director of the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative and fellow with Southeast Asia Program at CSIS. Mike and Greg share personal anecdotes about recently deceased Senator John McCain’s contributions on Asia policy and analyze the Asia elements of 2019 NDAA – including: language intended to restrain the Trump administration from rapid policy swings on South Korea and Taiwan, the requirement for the administration to provide a whole of government strategy for competition with China, and the funds allocated for boosting capacity of partner claimants in the South China Sea. They also discuss the bipartisan nature of congressional input to Asia policy, the value of congressional requirements for the Pentagon, and review crucial historical decisions made by Congress on Asia strategy. Hosted by Liza Keller. Audio edited by Ribka Gemilangsari. Written and produced by Jeffrey Bean. To learn more:  See the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019. Dr. Michael Green’s book By More Than Providence Grand Strategy and American Power in the Asia Pacific Since 1783. Gregory Poling’s recent op-ed, “Congress Fires a Warning Shot to China with Defense Budget,” in The Hill.

Human Rights in North Korea and China's Island Building

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