Asia Rising

By La Trobe Asia

What's Asia Rising about?

Asia Rising, the podcast of La Trobe Asia which takes a critical look at the key issues facing Asia's states and societies.

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Asia Rising episodes:

04.17.2024
#220: Is AUKUS a Good Deal for Australia?
North Korea is an isolated and secretive country, long restricted by sanctions, and getting an accurate picture of its economy can be a challenge. So what can we know about its economic condition? Guest: Dr Chiew Ping Hoo (Senior Fellow, East...
04.12.2024
Event: Enhancing Global and Regional Maritime Order
Oceans are an important resource for every country and are essential for travel and trade, but there are several critical issues facing maritime order in Asia. A lack of a shared vision, differing interpretations of maritime order, and cooperation over security...
03.28.2024
#219: The Economics of North Korea
North Korea is an isolated and secretive country, long restricted by sanctions, and getting an accurate picture of its economy can be a challenge. So what can we know about its economic condition? Guest: Dr Chiew Ping Hoo (Senior Fellow, East...
03.15.2024
#218: Prabowo, Indonesia and Foreign Policy
Indonesia has had a national election, and the likely next president is Prabowo Subianto, a leader with a checkered past. Prabowo served as Jokowi’s defense minister and gained his backing for this election, even naming Jokowi’s son as his VP...
03.15.2024
Event: 2024 ASEAN-Australia Special Summit - Keynote address from Penny Wong and Enrique Manalo
La Trobe Asia is proud to partner with the Australian Government to deliver the 2024 ASEAN-Australia Special Summit: Maritime Cooperation Forum. The Forum will address the Blue Economy and maritime cooperation, as well as perspectives on regional maritime challenges and...
03.12.2024
Event: Contested Waters: Maritime Security in Southeast Asia
The maritime region is becoming increasingly contested, particularly in Southeast Asia. From tensions rising in the South China Sea, grey zone issues, challenges to international law, and environmental issues such as sea level rise and overfishing, maritime security is important...
01.30.2024
#217: What Taiwan's Election Means for the World
Taiwan has held a presidential election, and the Democratic Progressive Party has won a third term, with current vice-president Lai Chinge-Te succeeding Tsai Ing-Wen later this year. And while his victory is seen as one of continuing democratic values on...
01.16.2024
#216: Xi Jinping and the Future of China
In the decade since Xi Jinping became China’s top leader, he has centralised decision-making powers, encouraged a cult of personality around himself, and moved toward indefinite rule by scrapping presidential term limits—stirring fears of a return to a Mao-style dictatorship. Today...
12.14.2023
#215: How China Influences the U.N.
The United Nations has long been seen as an organisation of international cooperation, and every country tries to use it to legitimise their actions and views on a global stage. Perhaps none is more successful than this and influential than...
11.30.2023
#214: Water Security in India
India has a population of 1.4 billion to support, and there is one basic commodity that every one of those citizens needs: water. But with only 4% of the world’s fresh water resources and demands of industry and agriculture to...
11.27.2023
Event: Climate Resilence in Asia
With its densely populated cities, low-lying islands, and melting glaciers, Asia is a region vulnerable to the impact of climate change. Extreme heat, weather disasters and the rising sea level could lead to mass flooding, landslides and drought, impacting millions. While...
11.10.2023
#213: Sarnath and the Tourism of Buddha
Sarnath, in Uttar Pradesh, India, is the site where Buddha delivered his first sermon, and a significant stop on the Buddhist pilgrimage trail. But long since overshadowed by local Hindu sites, it remains underdeveloped. Guest: Dr Kiran Shinde (Urban Planning, La...
10.31.2023
Event: Conflict in Asia? The view from Taiwan
In Australia, there is much public discussion about US-China relations, prospects of conflict involving Taiwan and implications for Australia’s security. It is only rarely, however, that these conversations involve Taiwanese voices. La Trobe University is honoured to host an exclusive panel...
09.28.2023
#212: Hong Kong's Changing Judicial System
In 2020 China’s top legislature unanimously passed a new national security law for Hong Kong. Entered into force the same day. Vague and broad in its remit, it applies to everyone who is deemed a risk to national security, and...
09.27.2023
Event: Australia, China and the Pacific Region
China’s activities in the Pacific have been the subject of increased media attention in Australia. Its vast resources exercised through trade and investment has bought both good will and influence, and a recent agreement with the Solomon Islands on policing...
09.08.2023
#211: Sport-for-Development in India's Schools
There’s a proven link between the benefits of sport programs within schools, not just through personal development but also community cohesion. In a country as linguistically and culturally diverse as India, implementing such programs can be a challenge. Guest: Dr Biju...
08.15.2023
#210: The Politics of Indian History
In the past few years India’s right-wing ruling BJP party has made efforts to change curriculum and censor textbooks in an attempt to deprioritise history that doesn’t amplify their narrative - in particular centuries of India’s Mughal history. Host: Dr Ruth...
08.04.2023
Event: School Sport for Development in India
There has long been an associated benefit between sport and learning, as it develops communication, social and psychological benefits. In the context of India, it could be used as an active part of the curriculum, to encourage activity-based learning initiatives...
07.28.2023
#209: How Japan Kept the Mongols Out
Along the coast of Hakata Bay in Fukuoka, Japan there is a 13th century wall, built by the local Samurai as defense against a Mongol invasion. Guest: Associate Professor Andrew Hall (Asian Studies, Kyushu University) Recorded 17 April, 2023.
07.19.2023
Event: Australia’s Asian Identity
This event explores Australia’s identity in Asia, and what it means for Australia to be in the Asia-Pacific region. Ten years since the ‘Australia in the Asian Century’ Foreign Policy White Paper, we reflect on Australia’s role and national identity...
07.07.2023
#208: Hiroshima and the Legacy of Peace
When atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima in 1945, it led a few months later to the surrender of Japan, effectively ending World War 2. There were up to 150,000 casualties in the atomic blast, and the magnitude of the...
06.20.2023
#207: Asia's Reaction to the Invasion of Ukraine
In June 2022 Indonesian President Joko Widodo went first to the Ukraine, and later to Moscow, hand delivering a letter from President Zelensky to Vladimir Putin. His purpose, to quote, was to open a dialogue forum for peace, to build...
05.31.2023
Event: Australia’s Foreign Policy Under a New Government
A year has passed since a new Labor government took power after nine years occupying the opposition benches. Over this time, the new government has prioritised the deepening of genuine partnerships with states across Asia and the Pacific, particularly in...
05.29.2023
#206: How Japan is Redefining Defence
Japan is forbidden by their constitution to use force as a means of settling international disputes, or maintaining military forces with the potential of war. Japan relies heavily on the concept of defence, and how they define it has repercussions for...
05.16.2023
#205: Japan's Relationship with China
Japan has always had a tense relationship with China, but now due to both their geographic proximity and their close alliance with western countries, this tension is taking on new dimensions. Guest: Professor Chisako Masuo (Graduate School of Social and Cultural...
05.08.2023
#204: Japan's Relationship with Russia
Japan and Russia are geographically close, but have always had an uneasy relationship. Territorial disputes, strained diplomacy, and an unsigned war era peace treaty has amounted to strained bilateral ties, with little sign of easing. Guest: Professor James Brown (Politics, Temple...
05.04.2023
Event: Fresh Perspectives on the Quad
Emerging leaders from Australia, Japan, India and the United States discuss key issues facing the ‘Quad’, and puts forward a strong case for the Quad working together on non-traditional security issues across the Indo-Pacific region. The next generation of Quad leaders...
05.03.2023
Event: Australia and Southeast Asia: A Joint Agenda for Maritime Security
What does it look like for Australia and Southeast Asia to develop a joint agenda for maritime security? Join La Trobe Asia, consortium lead for the Blue Security program, to launch the first paper in a series on Maritime Security in...
04.28.2023
#203: China's Global Media Campaign
The message conveyed by global media can be a powerful one, useful in influencing public perception and shaping politics, local media and information environments. Controlling the media narrative, usually through influence or your own state-run outlets, is of great interest to...
04.13.2023
#202: Rising Sea Levels and Coastal Territory
A recent UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report found global sea levels have been rising at an accelerated rate. For the small island nations of the Asia Pacific this is sobering news, but even for larger nations, let’s take...
03.27.2023
#201: Indigenous Language Politics in the Philippines
There are around 170 Indigenous languages spoken in the Philippines, as well as speakers of English, Spanish and several Chinese languages. Most people are multilingual, with more than 90 percent of the population speaking one or more language. Guest: Professor Tuting...
03.24.2023
Event: Australia’s Asia-Pacific Engagement: Past and Future
Australia’s relationships in and with Asia and the Pacific is a perennial feature of debates about its foreign and defence policy and how it projects its sense of identity on the world stage. In recent years Australia’s interaction with major...
03.10.2023
#200: The State of Asia in 2023
What pressures will the Russian invasion of Ukraine put on Asia? How will China recover post-covid? Will the Quad and AUKUS change power dynamics in the region? To celebrate the 200th episode of Asia Rising, a special recording to discuss the...
02.28.2023
#199: A Walk in the Gardens by the Bay, Singapore
The Gardens by the Bay are an iconic feature of Singapore, where they dominate every tourist photograph with their towering tree-like structures. Now celebrating their tenth year, they’re an emblem of the success of the greening of the city. Guest: Felix...
02.07.2023
Event: What Indonesia’s Criminal Code Means for Human Rights
Indonesia has passed a new criminal code, amongst which are a raft of controversial new morality laws and speech restrictions, including banning sex outside of marriage, insulting the president, and expressing any view that runs counter to state ideology. There are...
02.07.2023
Event: China and the Power of Xi Jinping
Xi Jinping has secured a historic third term as general secretary with unmatched political authority. This has given China a new drive to retain its position as a global superpower, and a desire to restore what Xi believes is China’s...
01.27.2023
#198: Singapore's Relationship with China
Singapore is a small country, highly reliant on commerce and trade, and with strong ties to China. This relationship can be at odds with other practices, for example: Its small military has an active conscription system. All citizens need to...
01.16.2023
#197: The Philippines Relationship with China
In 2022 The Philippines elected a new president, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, and with him came a pivot in international views, particularly towards China and the United States. The previous administration led by Rodrigo Duterte had embraced China and the development...
12.13.2022
#196: Reporting on the Philippine Drug War
When Rodrigo Duterte was elected to the office of president in 2016 one of his main election promises was to clean up the drug trade. And he was quite open about how he was going to do it. The language...
12.07.2022
Event: The Quad: Emerging Security Issues in the Indo-Pacific
As tensions in the Indo-Pacific increase and new security issues emerge, Australia, the United States, India and Japan have come together with the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue to support the Indo-Pacific. The event will explored the key issues and challenges of the...
11.16.2022
#195: Diabetes and Medicine in India
India is a country rich in food variety and tastes, but access to food has changed, bringing options of western foods of differing nutritional value. With changes in diet comes a change to health, and wider implications on the health...
11.10.2022
#194: John Howard on Asia
Mr John Howard, former Prime Minister of Australia (1996 - 2007) on Asia, his legacy, and Australia’s place in the region. His new book, A Sense of Balance, is published by HarperCollins Australia. Recorded 19 October 2022.
10.31.2022
#193: The Repression of Indigenous Languages in Asia
The United Nations has declared 2022 the start of the International Decade of Indigenous Languages, aiming to raise awareness of the ongoing global loss of Indigenous languages. Ongoing attacks on human rights defenders and restrictions on civil society are critically challenging...
10.13.2022
Event: Indigenous Language Rights and the Politics of Fear in Asia
Approximately 7,000 languages are signed or spoken in the world today, more than half of them by Indigenous people. These languages are critical to services like education and healthcare, and their neglect threatens the health and wellbeing of Indigenous people....
09.29.2022
#192: The Challenges of Reporting and Researching on China
With China mostly closed to international journalists accurate reporting is a challenging prospect, putting those engaged in it in danger from the Chinese government and their supporters. Guest: Vicky Xu (Journalist and Author, lead researcher of Uyghurs for Sale) Recorded 17 August...
09.15.2022
#191: Recreating a Virtual Angkor
Angkor is an archaeological site in northern Cambodia, and was home to the impressive capitals of the Khmer Empire between the 9th and 15th centuries. It is one of the most important archaeological sites in Southeast Asia, and an ongoing...
08.23.2022
Public Event: Human Rights in China
The track record of human rights in China is of global concern, with allegations of religious and ethnic repression, lack of freedom of information and civil liberties, violations of gender rights, and detainment of those who would speak out against...
08.19.2022
#190: Security Challenges in the Asian Region
What are the broad strategic trends and security challenges affecting the Asian region, now and into the future? Guests: Dr Elizabeth Buchanan (Head of Research, Royal Australian Navy, Seapower Centre) Professor Peter Dean (Director of Foreign Policy and Defence, United States Studies...
08.11.2022
Webinar: China’s Ambitions in Antarctica and Their Implications for Australia
In recent years, as the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has grown in economic size, military strength and international influence, it has become more active in Antarctica. This has led to worries that Beijing’s ambitions extend further than just scientific...
08.08.2022
#189: Pelosi's Visit to Taiwan Escalates Tension with China
There has been an escalation of tension between China, Taiwan and the United States in the wake of a visit to Taiwan by United States house speaker Nancy Pelosi, the first visit of such a rank in close to 30...

What's Asia Rising about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Asia Rising episodes:

#220: Is AUKUS a Good Deal for Australia?

Event: Enhancing Global and Regional Maritime Order

#219: The Economics of North Korea

#218: Prabowo, Indonesia and Foreign Policy

Event: 2024 ASEAN-Australia Special Summit - Keynote address from Penny Wong and Enrique Manalo

Event: Contested Waters: Maritime Security in Southeast Asia

#217: What Taiwan's Election Means for the World

#216: Xi Jinping and the Future of China

#215: How China Influences the U.N.

#214: Water Security in India

Event: Climate Resilence in Asia

#213: Sarnath and the Tourism of Buddha

Event: Conflict in Asia? The view from Taiwan

#212: Hong Kong's Changing Judicial System

Event: Australia, China and the Pacific Region

#211: Sport-for-Development in India's Schools

#210: The Politics of Indian History

Event: School Sport for Development in India

#209: How Japan Kept the Mongols Out

Event: Australia’s Asian Identity

#208: Hiroshima and the Legacy of Peace

#207: Asia's Reaction to the Invasion of Ukraine

Event: Australia’s Foreign Policy Under a New Government

#206: How Japan is Redefining Defence

#205: Japan's Relationship with China

#204: Japan's Relationship with Russia

Event: Fresh Perspectives on the Quad

Event: Australia and Southeast Asia: A Joint Agenda for Maritime Security

#203: China's Global Media Campaign

#202: Rising Sea Levels and Coastal Territory

#201: Indigenous Language Politics in the Philippines

Event: Australia’s Asia-Pacific Engagement: Past and Future

#200: The State of Asia in 2023

#199: A Walk in the Gardens by the Bay, Singapore

Event: What Indonesia’s Criminal Code Means for Human Rights

Event: China and the Power of Xi Jinping

#198: Singapore's Relationship with China

#197: The Philippines Relationship with China

#196: Reporting on the Philippine Drug War

Event: The Quad: Emerging Security Issues in the Indo-Pacific

#195: Diabetes and Medicine in India

#194: John Howard on Asia

#193: The Repression of Indigenous Languages in Asia

Event: Indigenous Language Rights and the Politics of Fear in Asia

#192: The Challenges of Reporting and Researching on China

#191: Recreating a Virtual Angkor

Public Event: Human Rights in China

#190: Security Challenges in the Asian Region

Webinar: China’s Ambitions in Antarctica and Their Implications for Australia

#189: Pelosi's Visit to Taiwan Escalates Tension with China